


The Girl in the Shop

by darylobsession (Shirleytheresevanderhorst)



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-28
Updated: 2015-03-21
Packaged: 2018-03-15 13:36:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 28,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3449108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shirleytheresevanderhorst/pseuds/darylobsession
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Out on a run, Daryl, Carl and Rick stumble upon a girl named Sura, whom they ask the three questions, and take back to Alexandria.<br/>Rated mature for later on sexual content and some strong language.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Begginings

“Think there’ll be anything here Daryl?”  
“Dunno kid.”  
“Look! Another of the comics I’m reading!”  
“Wonderful. Keep it down, dun’ wanna pull the walkers down on us.”  
“Right, sorry.”  
I squeezed my eyes, confused. The voices seemed so real, close. Impossible for a dream. My eyes snapped open and I scrambled, shoving my back against the low wall of the counter, heart threatening to escape my rib cage and give me away.  
“D’you hear that?” The older sounding voice asked.  
“Yep.” What I presumed was a kid responded.  
“Behind me.” The gruff response.  
My knuckles were white where they gripped my knife. I had lost my gun a week back, when running from walkers.  
I saw a pair of combat boots circle the bar, followed closely by a pair of small sneakers. The stopped at the entrance to my makeshift shelter. I sucked in my breath as the man crouched down. I saw a crossbow come through first, followed by a rough looking man. He stared at me in apparent confusion.  
“Carl, go get your dad.”  
I heard the boy turn and run out.  
“S’your name?” He dropped the nose of the crossbow, but didn't set it down.  
I gripped my knife tighter and his eyes flickered to it.  
“Ain't no need for that. I come in peace and all that.” His voice was pleasantly scratchy.  
“Just go away, leave me be.” I managed to croak out, voice weak from disuse.  
“Aww hell, I ain't no good at this.” He lamented, sitting down at the entrance, crossbow in his lap.  
“Daryl?” Another man’s voice called out.  
I whimpered, and Daryl’s head rose at the sound, curious look on his face.  
“Rick. It’s a girl, wants us to leave her ‘lone.”  
I saw another man crouch behind the one called Daryl. “We've got a place. You’re welcome to join us, if you’ll just answer some questions for me.”  
“What questions?” My voice was still shaky.  
“How many walkers have you killed?”  
They almost leaned forward in expectancy.  
“One hundred and twenty-two.”  
They exchanged glances.  
“How many people have you killed?”  
“Nine.”  
They looked skeptical.  
“Why?”  
“Group of men tried to...too me…then they killed my dog. I saw red.”  
“Daryl, talk to you a moment?”  
“Stay here.” Daryl directed at me, shuffling out of my shelter and talking to the one called Rick in a hushed voice.  
I looked sideways, at my miserable bed and puny collection of supplies. If they took me, I’d have to go.  
“I just don’t know.”  
“She ain't gonna survive much longer ‘ere.”  
Their voices we suddenly too loud. I felt my cheeks burn, realizing the truth of his words. I had failed at staying alive on my own.  
“You wanna come then?” I jumped as I realized Daryl was crouched down again, looking at me expectantly.  
“I don’t really have much of a choice.” I deadpanned, moving to collect my things. It was a miserably short wait for Daryl. I emerged after him, exiting the shop with one last glance back.  
Rick and Carl hopped into a car, looking at me expectantly. I glanced at Daryl and saw he was kicking the stand of a nice bike up.  
I slipped into the back seat, feeling odd to be inside a car again. The ride was relatively short, but I felt half queasy by the end of it, unsure what I would find when we got out the vehicle. I peeked forward, seeing a gate. I could hear the rumble of Daryl’s bike behind us.  
The gates cracked open slowly, and we drove through. I saw people lining the walls from the inside, guns lazily in their hands. We parked and got out the car, waiting for Daryl to park his bike, before heading to a yellow coloured building in the middle.  
“Welcome to Alexandria.” Rick said from my side.  
I couldn't find words to respond. Kids played on the streets, care-free as though the world wasn't going to shit outside. Who was I kidding? The world had already gone to shit, now it was just decomposing slowly.  
The building smelled pleasant inside and a small woman with grey hair greeted us.  
“New one?” She asked, smiling.  
“Yeah, get her a house?” Rick answered, leaning on the counter with ease.  
“Name?”  
Rick opened his mouth, then shut it. He looked at me.  
“Sura.” I paused. “Sura Jin.” I watched Carl’s face get confused. “My adoptive parents were Japanese.”  
The woman finished off the slip she was filling out, smiling the whole time, and then got up, picking a key off the back wall and handing it to Rick.  
“First one on lane three.” She smiled at me.  
“Thanks Carol.” We shuffled out and Daryl mumbled something, heading off in a different direction.  
Every green space here was occupied by functional plants – vegetables, fruit trees, assorted herbs and aromatics – no useless shrubbery. I saw a chicken coop as we walked, tiny yellow chicks chirping loudly as a boy about Carl’s age fed them seed.  
The houses were all neat, complete with their own plot of fruit and veggies. I noticed a sign indicating Lane Three, which cornered with Street Five.  
“This’ll be it.” Rick mumbled, handing Carl the keys, who bounded forward up the steps to unlock the door. The house was a pleasant light grey colour with white trimmings. I stepped onto the porch, noticing the barred, but at the moment unlocked and opened, gates on each window.  
“Those we recommend you shut at night. Just a precaution, ya’ know?”  
I nodded, following him over the threshold. We were in the kitchen, a small, corridor like room, but equipped with a stove and sink. Through to the back there was a small living area, complete with a deflated looking pouf. The bedroom opened off the west wall, as did the bathroom.  
“I know its small, but it’s dry, doesn't drip and has rationed hot water.”  
I just stood there in the middle of the room, small pack having slipped off my shoulder, lying at my feet.  
“How am I supposed to thank you?” I frowned. “Repay you?”  
“Give yourself a week’s rest girl. Then you’ll be assigned a duty of your choice, and you chip in with the work, simple as that.” He gave me a pat on the shoulder and motioned to Carl. “I’ll leave you to it then, Sura. The cupboards have food, but today is Saturday, so there’s a barbecue in the centre for dinner, if you feel like company.” He paused at the door. “You are free to roam around, explore, but if you go outside the walls, let someone know, yeah?”  
I nodded, but all I could think was ‘why would I want to?’. The door clicked shut behind Rick and Carl. I was alone, safe. And it felt so foreign to be safe, I wept, falling to my knees next to my torn rucksack.


	2. House gifts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sura gets settled into her new home.
> 
> Author's note: Just wannalet anyone reading this know i will be uploading as often as possible, but as i am in university, sometimes it's impossible to find time! Thanks and please comment!

“Sura?” I heard after the third knock on my door.  
“What?” I croaked out, voice still rough from crying.  
“Rick sent me to find out if ya were coming to the dinner?”  
“No.”  
There was a pause. “Are you a’right?”  
“No.”  
I heard him open the door and shut it again. “Wassup then?”  
“Just feels so odd, ya know?”  
“What does?” He sighed and sat down on my bed, glancing down to where I was sitting on the floor. “I ain't no good at this talking shit.” He mumbled gruffly.  
“Don’t worry I’m not exactly the star model of social interaction either.”  
He grunted, leaning his elbows down on his knees. “But you’ll be OK?”  
“I will, I guess.”  
He rose. “Well, just stick ‘round, you’ll get used to it. Took me a while too, was always sneakin’ out when I could.” He seemed to think for a moment. “Just be careful if you do tha’.”  
I smiled weakly. “Will be, but I doubt I’ll go. Not alone anyway.”  
He nodded and opened the door. “Ya staying then?”  
“I’m shit company right now anyway. Just gonna sort my meager pile of belongings, maybe take a shower.”  
He just stared for a moment, then nodded, closing the door behind him.  
“Don’t forget to close the shutters!” He shouted out before I heard the front door close too.  
I nodded to myself, hoisting myself up and rapidly shutting all the window-gates. After that I opened my miserable rucksack, pulling out my extra shirt – which I only kept because it had been with me for so long – my knife in its sheath, a worn water bottle, which I guess I didn’t need anymore, and a small Swiss knife. I opened the wardrobe, setting my shirt inside, thinking about how pathetic it looked all alone in there. I added my knife and sheath, closing the doors. The Swiss knife I placed on my bedside table – a wicker one most likely meant to be an outside stool – and threw the water bottle out in the kitchen, bringing a glass of water into the room after gulping one down in the kitchen.  
I set the glass down on the wicker and stripped off, ashamed at the dirt that flaked off the filthy garments, making a small circle on the floor around me. I left the clothes in a pile, walking into the bathroom. I started as I saw something move to my left, only to realize it was my reflection.  
I stepped closer, staring at the person that stared right back at me. It was almost hard to believe it was me. My hair was matted, sticking up at one side, flat on the other, with a rust coloured hue, due to all the blood. My eyes were wild, with that alien look you get after having stayed up for too long. My lips were chapped and cracked in some sections and my skin looked two shades darker with all the dust I had accumulated.  
I suddenly got that odd feeling you get when you stare too long at a mirror – that the thing looking back at you isn't you anymore. I shuddered and turned to the bathtub, turning on the water.  
It came out cold at first, but I didn't care. I jumped in, yanking the shower curtain shut behind me – which I noticed had little blue and purple fish all over it.  
The water at my feet turned a nasty colour brown and I could see grains in it pooling near the drain. I scrubbed myself raw with the bar of soap that was on the rim, as well as scrubbed my hair with it. I made a note to get shampoo and conditioner on a run sometime soon.  
And a razor. I thought to myself as I stared down at my spider legs. Not only my legs either.  
“Sura?” I heard someone shout, nearly causing me to slip.  
“Um, yes?”  
“Are you showering? I brought you some clothes and some other things, ‘coz Daryl said you were staying in.”  
It seemed like Carol’s voice to me.  
“What other stuff?”  
“Shampoo, body cream, a razor, hairbrush and a book, didn't know if you read or not.”  
“Mind bringing those in here? The bath things I mean?”  
I heard the door open and I peeked out from behind the curtain. Carol smiled at me and set the things down on the closed toilet seat.  
“Thanks.” I tried to smile, but I think it came out more like a grimace.  
“No problem honey. If you wanna join us after, we stay up till ‘bout midnight with some drinks around the fire.” She answered, slipping back out the bathroom.  
“I’ll think about it!” I shouted back, grabbing the razor, hairbrush and shampoo, trying to drip as little water on the floor as possible, although it now ran clear.  
I shampooed my hair, yanking the brush through it till it didn't catch, and then standing under the now warmish water to rinse it out. I shaved quickly before shutting off the water.  
I stepped out, grabbing the green towel that hung on a rack, before drying myself off. I couldn't believe how different I felt and I smiled – this time genuine - and grabbed the bottle of body cream, lathering myself in a generous amount, using it on my lips too, since I didn't have any balm.  
I rifled through the pile of clothes, pulling out a clean pair of cotton underwear, a black shirt and a pair of black slouchy trousers. Not my favourite, but who was I to complain?  
I walked back to the bedroom, seeing the book and another couple of pieces of clothes on the bed, as well as a set of shoes on the floor. How they knew my size I had no idea. I picked up the book. It was the Fellowship of the Ring. I smiled again, setting it on my bedside table between my Swiss knife and the glass of water.  
I sat on the bed, staring at the pair of shoes, before getting up again and going into the kitchen, slipping them on as I did. As a second thought, I turned to the wardrobe, taking out my sheath and strapping it around my waist, before walking out the door. It felt weird not to lock it – I’d have to ask Rick where he put my key – as I skipped down the stairs and followed the streets back to the entrance. I saw someone walking so I jogged up to them.  
“Hi, I’m new here, could you tell me where the centre is?” The man looked at me for a moment as though unsure and then pointed to the right, saying it was just a street over. I thanked him, veering right.  
I found it soon enough after that, flickering flame-light easy to follow. I stood at the edge for a moment, unsure what to do, before I heard someone calling for me.  
“Sura?” I realized Carl was in front of me.  
“Oh, hi Carl.” I smiled. “Hope I’m not late.”  
“Naw, just in time! You sure look different now.” He commented, pulling me along.  
I looked around me as he did, trying to memorize faces as they whizzed past, some looking confused, but failed miserably. When he stopped I nearly crashed into him, before righting myself and looking up. Rick, Carol and Daryl were there, along with a couple of other people I didn’t know.  
“Sura?” Carol stood up. “Well I’ll be damned you look like a different person!” She came over to me, looking me up and down, only pausing slightly at my face. “What do you want to drink?”  
“What do you have?” I asked in a hushed voice, conscious of everyone looking on.  
“We have soda, water, beer, even some wine if you’d like.” She chirped.  
“Soda would be great.” I answered, sitting where she pointed me to.  
“House to your liking?” Rick asked, smiling through his beard.  
“More than I could have ever asked for yes. Thanks for the clothes and all that too.” I felt myself blushing as everyone continued to listen attentively.  
“Good then.” Rick commented, turning the grate over in their smaller fire.  
I accepted the drink Carol offered, smiling as she sat next to me, Carl taking the seat next to Rick. I realized the drink was a can of Fanta and I eagerly snapped it open and took a swig.  
“So how long were you on the road?” Carl asked eagerly.  
“Carl she probably doesn’t want to talk about that.” Carol scolded.  
“No, it’s fine. Since the beginning. Always been just me. After the men killed Goliath.”  
“Who was Goliath?” Another kid, most likely in his teens, asked.  
“My dog.”  
“Wha’ breed?” Daryl mumbled from the other side of me.  
“Great Dane mixed with Doberman. He was huge.”  
“Protective too, no dou’t”  
“Terribly.” I smiled at Daryl, who averted his eyes to the fire as Rick lifted the grate off.  
“I’m Glenn.” A guy offered from beside Daryl. I shook his outstretched hand.  
“Maggie.”  
“Noah”  
“There’s more to our group, but they’re out on a run still.” Rick explained, handing round plates with steaming meat and a pile of lettuce on the side.  
I took mine gratefully, starting to eat when I saw them staring at me.  
“What?” I asked, mouth full.  
“Just wondering if you were religious or not.”  
“Nope.” I answered, swallowing.  
“No need to say grace then.” Carol laughed, and everyone dug in.  
My cheeks burned lightly and I returned to my plate, relishing in the taste of proper food.  
“How long since you've had a proper meal like this?” Maggie asked from across the fire.  
“As you can probably tell, very long.” I answered, to the laughter of the others.  
“Good evening.” A man stepped into our circle, wearing a priest’s uniform.  
“Evening.” They all responded in chorus.  
“Sura this is Reverend Gabriel.” Rick introduced.  
“Pleasure.” The man smiled at me, accepting a plate from Rick and sitting next to Maggie.  
The rest of the evening was spent amicably, swapping stories and telling jokes. Just as Rick started to gather the plates (I had had seconds and then thirds) my eyes started to droop.  
“Daryl, why don’t you walk Sura home, she’s on your side of the town.” Rick suggested. “I’ll finish up here.”  
Daryl grunted and got up, and I followed, waving goodnight to everyone and thanking them for dinner. I jogged to catch up with Daryl’s retreating form, falling into stride with him.  
The silence stretched.  
“What duties do you do around here?” I asked, flinching at how oud my voice sounded.  
“Runs mostly. Watch the walls sometimes if there’s a shortage.”  
“Right. I don’t really know what I’d be good for.” I sighed. “I’m guessing you already have doctors and such?”  
He glanced at me out of the corner of his eye. “Naw, only one. We can always use more. Why, you a doctor?”  
“Didn’t graduate, but was studying for it yeah.” I laughed. “You know the whole thing about ‘Asian parents only want their kids to be doctors’?”  
“Ye said you were ado’ted right?”  
“Yep. Neither of them was ever home, so I don’t know why they did in the first place. Dad was a business man who liked to sleep over at other women’s houses, and Mum was in the military.”  
“She didn’t get you out when it went to shit?”  
“She called, told me she was negotiating, that she’d call me right back, that I should drive to the A1 overpass. She never called back. Waited three days at that stupid overpass, until I realized no one was coming.”  
“Think she got bit?”  
“I’m betting more on the military didn’t give her clearance to bring her useless, untrained family along, so she just took her spot and left us.”  
“Sucks.” He murmured next to me, shoving his hands in his pockets.  
“Yeah.” We fell silent until we reached my house. “I forgot to ask Rick where he put my key.”  
“Probably on top o’ the fridge.” He paused. “Wanna make sure before I go?”  
“Sure, thanks.” I opened my door, fumbling for the light switch, blinking when the light came on. I stood on my tiptoes and felt around the top of the fridge till my fingers met cold metal.  
“I’ll be goin’ then.” Daryl said when I flashed the key at him.  
I leaned against the door frame. “OK. Night then.”  
He grunted, turning and disappearing into the dark. Moments later, I saw lights come on in the windows of a house down the street, and I wondered if it was him. I shut the door, locking it, and padded into my room, shutting off the kitchen light and turning on the small lamp.  
I stripped to my underwear and shimmied under the covers. The fabric was thin, but it wrapped around me oh-so-pleasantly, smelling of soap, and I was asleep within my next breath.


	3. Of work and runs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I had my first day at the infirmary today. I met Ben, and he says we’re getting dangerously low on antibiotics.”  
> “Yeah, heard he sent out some runs.”  
> “Yeah, but none of them brought anything back. He doesn’t believe that the pharmacies are cleared out, just that the runners don’t care enough to have a proper look.”  
> He seemed to be thinking. “So what, you want me to go look?”  
> “I want to come with you.”  
> He squinted, chewing his thumb. “Just us two?”
> 
> Enjoy :)

“Hi, I’m Sura, I’m here to sign up for duties?” I added a lilt to the end of my sentence, unsure if it was here that I was given my work.  
“Oh yes, please sit down.” The woman offered the chair in front of her.  
I did, waiting expectantly.   
“So, anything in mind?” She asked, beaming her best smile at me, which just unnerved me.  
“I was studying to be a doctor.”  
“Oh good, we’ll sign you up for the infirmary and paediatrics. Did you specialize in any area?”  
“Didn’t get far enough before the world went to shit.”  
The woman seemed flustered by my swearing and I scoffed internally.  
“Right, well then…I…uh. Head over to the infirmary then, Ben should be there.”  
I left, wondering where the hell the infirmary was. I asked a passing kid and she pointed me in the right direction, staring after me as I left, rainbow coloured ball in her hand forgotten.  
The infirmary was a small, white building, with a crudely painted red cross on the front. I knocked on the door, waiting as I heard someone approaching. The door was pulled inwards and a scrawny man about my height looked back at me.  
“Um, hi. I’m Sura, just got assigned to infirmary duty.”  
He ushered me inside. “No time to chit-chat, got a patients in here, the last run just came in.”  
I tripped along after him until we reached the back room, where there were several cots lain out.  
Three of the five were occupied and Ben quickly pointed me to the more urgent case, settling back down at his patient’s side.  
My stomach flipped as I saw the wound on the woman’s arm. It stretched from her shoulder to her elbow and I swear I could see bone glinting under the shocking red of the blood.  
“What happened to her?” I asked, quickly disinfecting my hands after tying my hair back and setting a clean towel under her arm.  
“Pretty sure she got caught on a piece of wire and then yanked.” The medic answered, stitching up his patient’s also serious looking wound.  
I nodded, setting to work disinfecting, cleaning and reconstructing the woman’s limb. I stitched carefully and as close together as I could, going of the wound twice to make sure it would hold well. When I finished I realized the other medic was leaning over me, watching me.  
“Good work.”  
I moved to the next man, but realized Ben had already taken care of him, only having a mere couple of broken fingers that had been reset.  
I sat back down, washing my hands off in the metal basin, watching the water turn reddish as I did, blood swirling in the water where it dripped in, until I upset it with my hands.  
“Where were you studying?”   
“Washington University.” I answered, joining him at the small table just outside the back room.  
He nodded. “I’m Ben.”  
“Sura.” We shook hands.  
“It’s good to finally have someone else on board.”  
“I can imagine it’s a handful here.”  
“Comes and goes, most runs are without mishap. Or at least not with mishap we can treat.”  
“How are the medicine stocks here? I saw you putting an IV on those two first patients.”  
“Pretty alright, though we are running low on antibiotics.” He pointed to another door. “It’s all in there.”  
I took it as an invitation and got up, opening the door. It was a small walk in closet type room, with metal shelving, labelled and organized in sections. I did notice the significant hole in the antibiotics region.  
“Not bad though.” I remarked, sitting back down. “Have you asked the runners to try and find some more?”  
“Yes, they say they can’t find any more close.”  
“You don’t sound convinced.  
“I’m not.” He offered me coffee from the small machine, and I accepted. “There must be more, they just don’t know where to look.”  
“Who have you sent out?”  
“Jeffrey, Rita and Paul have been twice, Vance and Helen too. I think they just don’t take the time to read the labels.” He sighed. “I don’t know, it’s like they don’t care, because they’ve never been in this building. Keep telling me I’m overreacting and it’s too risky.”  
“I could ask Rick’s group if you’d like. Could even go with them, bring back any useful things.”  
“You’d go out there?”  
“I’ve been out there for a long time, yet here I am. I’ll talk to them.”  
“Wonderful. Well, I think we’re done here for today, I have the monitors beep me if their levels dip too low.”  
“Where’d you get all the monitors and Iv’s?”  
“Hospital nearby, seems those things are easier to identify.” He scoffed. “Not that I’m not grateful, we even have a pair of defibrillators.”  
I followed him out.   
“I have the only key, and unfortunately we haven’t found anyone with a key cutting machine yet, so you’ll have to stay keyless. I’m always here early anyway.” He locked the door. “I’ll arrange to get a pair of walkie-talkies for us, so I can alert you when my beeper goes off.”  
“Sounds good.”   
We went our separate ways, and I headed off towards what I suspected was Daryl’s place. I knocked, half anxious that it might not be his.  
I heard someone swearing as they tripped over something, and then the door opened.  
Daryl stood there in his leather vest and loose jeans, hair falling in his eyes. He squinted at me.  
“Wha’ you doin’ ‘ere?” He asked gruffly.  
“Wanted to talk to you bout something.” I shifted on my feet.  
“Right. Um. Com’in.” He mumbled, stepping back into the house,leaving the door open behind him. “Wasn’t expecting guests, so it’s a lil messy.”   
“Don’t mind.” I responded automatically. I stifled a laugh as I stepped in though.   
He narrowed his eyes. “Wut?”  
“Do you know you have cupboards to put away clean dishes?”  
He looked annoyed and I regretted my tone. “I’m sorry, it’s none of my business.”  
He just squinted and then turned, walking into his living room. I saw his crossbow propped up against the wall. He had a dart board hung on the other, a recliner chair, and a chaise long looking thing. He had a fake Ficcus plant in the corner and a large poster of a landscape on the third wall. It was wonderfully him.  
“It’s nice.” I said, sitting on the chaise long.  
“Thanks.” He remarked, surprised tone creeping into his voice. “So wha’ you wanna talk ‘bout?”  
“I had my first day at the infirmary today. I met Ben, and he says we’re getting dangerously low on antibiotics.”  
“Yeah, heard he sent out some runs.”  
“Yeah, but none of them brought anything back. He doesn’t believe that the pharmacies are cleared out, just that the runners don’t care enough to have a proper look.”  
He seemed to be thinking. “So what, you want me to go look?”  
“I want to come with you.”  
He squinted, chewing his thumb. “Just us two?”  
“I don’t know, we can bring some more if you think it’d be better.”  
“Probably easier if it’s just us, less attention. Plus if we take a car, there’s more room to put medicine.”  
I nodded. “When?”  
“We can go tomorrow, if that’s alright with Ben.”  
“I’ll let him know.”  
We fell silent.  
“Guess I should go then.” I mumbled, rising.  
“Don’t have to.”  
I sat back down.  
“Want a beer or somethin’?”  
“Sure.”  
He god up, snapping the chair back into a sitting position. A moment later a bottle appeared in front of my face and I accepted it with thanks. He threw himself back down into his chair, stretching out, crossing his legs on the rest.  
I glanced sideways and realized I was looking into his room. Piles of books teetered precariously in piles to the left of the bed, which covers were black.  
“You read a lot?” I inquired, realized he was watching me silently.  
“Yeah, kinda took it up recently.”  
“Carol gave me a copy of the Fellowship of the Ring to read. You got the rest?”  
“Naw, were the first ones I read, passed them on to someone else by now.”  
“Too bad, I’ll have to hunt them down I guess.”  
“Yeah.”  
“Got any favourites?”  
“Too many.” He answered, lips turning up in the slightest of smiles.  
“I always did hate it when people asked me what my favourites were. Seems lie such a restrictive question.”  
“’S stupid.”  
“Where’d you get the crossbow?”  
He paused, seemingly surprised by the change of topic. “Was mine before all this. Liked to hunt.”  
“I’ve always been curious about them.”  
“Wanna hold it?” He offered, still chewing on one finger.  
“Heck yes.”  
He smirked, snapping the chair into sitting again and reached for the weapon. He leaned forward, offering it to me. I took it, surprised at how much it weighed.  
“How do you use this? It’s so heavy.”  
“Get used to it.” His voice was husky.  
I hoisted it, setting the butt against my shoulder and looking down the sight. My arm began to shake after a moment, causing me to drop it to my lap again.  
“It feels good, just heavy at the tip.”  
“Is a bit I guess, just the way I’ve always had it.”  
“Will you let me shoot it some day?”  
He seemed taken aback. “Yeah, guess so.”  
“I’m holding you to that.” I handed it back, and he leaned forward to accept it with his right hand. “I should really get going now, have to catch Ben somehow before he turns in.” I remarked, noticing how dark it was outside already.  
“A’ight.” He stood, following me into the kitchen, where we both set down our empty bottles. “You al’ight in the dark?”  
“Fine, thanks.” We stared at each other for a moment, before Daryl broke eye contact, reaching past me to open the front door. “Later then. Tomorrow early then?”  
“I’ll knock on your door at sun-up.”  
I nodded, waving as I left. As I turned the corner I swear I could see him still standing at his door, watching me.  
I found Ben easily enough after bumping into Carol and asking for directions. I seemed to be doing that a lot lately. He gave me a walkie-talkie and bade me good luck on my run tomorrow. When I arrived back home I could still see Daryl’s house lit up, before slipping inside and going straight to my room. I turned on the light, setting the walkie-talkie next to my bed, slipping out of my sheath and pants, and climbing into bed. I hadn’t opened my grates since I shut them, so there was no need to go check them.   
Daryl knocked on my door at sunrise and I greeted him, locking the door behind me, small pack on my shoulders with some essentials and my knife bouncing on my hip.  
We walked to the entrance, where Daryl chatted to the gatekeeper, telling him our business, and requested a car. We ended up taking an old green Landover – the kind I’d always wanted to buy – and were out the gates before the sun had cleared the hill.  
The drive to the nearest town was relatively short, and was passed in an easy silence.  
We stopped about half a mile out, killing the engine and going on foot the rest of the way, so not to draw attention.  
“You ain’t got a gun?” Daryl asked, looking at me.  
“No, lost it a little while back.”  
“Should have told me, could’ve got ya one in Alexandria.”  
“Next time. They make so much noise anyway.”  
“True, but in a tight situation…”  
We fell silent as the town came into view. There were no walkers on the street, but that didn’t mean they weren’t inside.  
“Pharmacy is the middle building, white coloured.” Daryl whispered, subconsciously shoving me behind him.  
I smiled at the gesture. “OK, back or front?”  
“Let’s try back first.”  
We skirted round to the back of the buildings, finding only one walker, whom Daryl hit in the eye, retrieving his arrow after.  
The back door was mercifully unlocked, and we slipped in quietly, shutting it behind us. It was dark inside compared to the glaring morning sun, and still smelled faintly of anaesthetics.   
“Any trouble, you holler.” Daryl whispered, forging ahead to clear the shop.  
“Will do.”  
I walked after him till I found a door labelled ‘storage’. I tried to open it, only to find it was locked.   
“Shit.”  
“What?” Daryl turned around immediately, crossbow up.  
“The door’s locked that all. I’ll have to see if I can find the key.”  
He nodded, stepping out to the front of the shop, where he shut the front door properly, locking it, and pulled the blinds.  
I snooped around the counter, trying to find a supplementary key.  
“Anythin’?”  
“Not yet.” I replied, frowning. I noticed a groove in the wood and pulled on it. A hidden drawer popped out, complete with a set of keys. ”Got it I think.”  
I backtracked to the door, trying a couple of keys before the right one slid into place and turned, unlocking the door. It swung open silently.  
“So what were those other runners saying about not finding stuff?” I remarked dryly as he stepped in behind me.  
“Fuckin’ idiots.” He grumbled, handing me two of those big shopping bags that you reuse lots, made of harder plastic and a camping packsack.  
I started reading labels and packing stuff away, shooing Daryl away to keep watch. I took all the antibiotics first, knowing they were key, then asthma inhaler refills, whittling my way down importance till only the packsack was still empty. I looked again, taking vitamins, contraceptive pills, anti-nausea pills and cold remedies. The bag took some yanking to shut properly and I went out to fetch Daryl.  
“Done?”  
“Yes…” I had noticed a whole bowl full of lip balms on the counter. I grabbed them, stuffing them in my smaller pack, grabbing the toothbrushes for kids too, with a couple of tubes of toothpaste. “Yes.”  
He looked amused. “Got some essentials for Glenn and Maggie too.” He mumbled showing me a pack full of condoms. My mouth formed an “o” and I looked at him. He suddenly seemed to come back to himself and blushed, shoving past me to pick up the two shopping bags and waiting till I picked up the other camping packsack. “Let’s go.”  
We returned without incident, silence awkward this time. Carol was waiting for us when we arrived, along with Ben.  
“Got anything?” Ben shouted in greeting.  
“Lots.” I replied, smiling.  
Carol helped Ben and I carry the bags over, Daryl going to take a shift on the wall after he’d handed me his pack.  
“We got all the stuff we needed, plus some others.” I said, showing him the vitamins, contraceptives and lip balms.  
“Wonderful, was there more there?”  
“Antibiotics I took what I could. The rest there’s still a bit there yes.”  
“Well this will already do us for a long while.” He seemed over the moon. “Mind sorting this all out for me while I see to the patients?”  
I nodded, hauling the bags down the corridor to the storage room, sorting them all out. The non-prescription medicine and paraphernalia I set out on the shelf that was at the entrance, popping two lip balms in my pocket for myself, and, after a thought, a box of condoms into my pack, plus a toothbrush and toothpaste. Could never be too careful right?  
I set out the baby food and feeding bottles I had nabbed too, wondering if any babies even existed anymore.  
As if to answer my question, Carl walked in, a baby on his hip.  
“Hi Sura. Ben in?”  
“Yeah, but he’s treating some people. Is she?”  
“Judith, my sister.” He smiled proudly.  
“Miracle.” I breathed out. “I’m not a specialist in kids, but I can have a look at her if you’d like?”  
“Why not?” He handed the gurgling kid over, who quieted in my arms. I sat with her, propping her in my lap.   
“So, anything wrong, or just routine?”  
“Routine.” He responded easily, taking a comic book out of his back pocket and sitting down to read it.  
I grab the stethoscope from the wall, pressing it to her chest after warming it a little. She giggle but settled, heartbeat steady and rhythmic. I checked her ears, eye response and mouth quickly, before removing her diaper to make sure she had no rashes. I dressed her with a new one while I was at it, having a pile ready under the desk where Ben had showed me, and snapped her onesie closed again.  
“Anything else Ben usually checks?”  
“Sometimes does blood, but that’s only once every two months.” Carl smiled. “All ok then?”  
“Very healthy young lady.”  
He shoved his comic back into his pocket, picking up Judith and walking out with a wave. I caught him on the stairs, asking him if they needed baby food.  
“My dad will pick some up on his way home, I’ve got my hands full.” He smiled again.  
I nodded, jogging back into the building. I finished setting out the things, admiring my work, before slipping to the back room.  
“How are they?” I asked.  
“Well, the stitching you did on her arm is excellent. Did you bring any antiseptic creams by chance?”  
I nodded, grabbing them from the shelf in the storage before handing them to him.  
“It’s not much, but it helps.”  
The man at the end was already sitting up, watching his comrades get treated. I offered him water, which he accepted with his good hand, and food, before Ben told him he was free to go, but had to check in in a week.  
“Go on you too. There will be nothing to do for a while. I’ll let u know when there’s dressings to be changed.” He said, shooing me away.  
“I feel bad, I’m always leaving when you stay.” I protested, grabbing may bag as he bustled me out.  
“When I need you I’ll let you know. I need space for my research.”  
“Research?” I asked, pausing.  
“Yes, I’m trying to develop a cure. Now go on.”  
“Are you anywhere close?” I asked.  
“No.” He responded, shutting the door in my face.  
“Optimistic.” I remarked to myself.


	4. Mockingbird

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hush little baby don’t say a word,   
> Momma’s gonna buy you a mocking bird,  
> And if that mocking bird don’t sing  
> Momma’s gonna buy you a diamond ring  
> And if that diamond ring turns to brass,  
> Momma’s gonna buy you a looking glass…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is rated mature for future chapters, but knowing how standoffish Daryl is, i want to make it as real as possible, like he wouldn't just fall for the new girl like it was nothing. Hope my writing is good enough to keep you around :D  
> x

“Hey Carol.” I greeted, finding the woman in the office where I first met her.  
“Hey Sura, what’re you doing here?”  
“Ben told me to go home until further notice.”  
“Sounds like Ben.” She opened the counter and ushered me through, kicking a chair out for me.  
“I was thinking of signing up for runs – the shorter ones.”  
“You’ll have a hard time convincing them of that.”  
I raised my eyebrows. “Them?”  
“The administrators. Now that they know you have medical experience, they’re not gonna want to lose you. Runs are high risk.”  
“Ugh didn’t think about it that way.” I fell silent, thinking.  
“If you say you’ll go with our group, they may make an exception. We’ve had zero casualties.”  
“No harm in trying I guess.” I looked up as the door opened, admitting a rather pissed off looking woman. “See ya later Carol.” I ducked under the counter and scooted out, not before hearing Carol whisper “bitch” at me.  
I strolled through the streets, not really sure where I was going, until I bumped straight into Daryl.  
“Sorry!”  
He grunted, pushing past me.  
“Are you ok?” I called after him. He didn’t turn back. I frowned at his retreating form.  
Shrugging, I decided I’d try and find Rick and Carl’s house, see if I could help with Judith. This time I managed to find it without asking anybody directions, as Carl was sitting on the porch with Judy.  
“Hey Carl.” I greeted, sitting in the swinging seat beside him.  
“Hey, wanna hold her? I gotta go do some chores and whatnot. There’s food for her on the counter…” His voice died off. “Maybe you don’t have time?”  
“No, on the contrary. Go on, I’ll look after her.”  
Carl bounded off, and was gone from my sight before I could see him turn the corner.  
“Poor boy, stuck looking after lil old you.” I cooed to Judith, who gurgled happily in return. I sat with her outside until she started making noises, going inside and grabbing the pot of baby food and a spoon before going back outside to sit with her in the sun on the front lawn. I fed her until she was stuffed, little chin dirty with applesauce, which I wiped with her bib. Then I lay back, soaking in the sun momentarily.  
“Shouldn’t keep her out in tha sun for too long.”   
I shot upright, not having heard Daryl approaching. “No, was just for a bit. But I think she’d enjoy a bath anyway. Hope Rick doesn’t mind me intruding on their place.”  
“He won’t.” He bent, picking Judith up, who, to my slight surprise, fell against him with a happy giggle, fat hands grasping at the strap of his crossbow. I wrapped up the towel and followed the unlikely pair inside.  
Daryl held Judith as I boiled some water, and I smiled at the nonsense he talked to her, rocking her back and forth.  
“Big strong girl, yes you are, make Daryl proud of ya you do.”  
“Um…Daryl?”  
He snapped out of his trance, straightening with a grunt.  
“Does Rick have a basin he washes her in?”  
“Yeah, bottom cupboard to the left.” He seemed subdued and I swear I could see a blush tinging his cheeks under his long bangs.  
I ducked down, finding a bright red plastic basin and filled it about half full with cold water first, adding a bit of hot at a time until it seemed just right. Daryl handed her over and I undressed her, sitting her in the bathwater. She squealed in delight and splashed around, soaking me immediately.  
“She does that.” Daryl offered. ”I should go.”  
“Why?” He stopped in his tracks, turning to squint at me.  
“Whadda ya mean, why?”  
“You’re good with her, it’s obvious she likes you. And I’d appreciate the company.”  
He stood there in the doorway for a moment before nodding almost imperceptibly and sitting down on one of the breakfast table stools.   
We didn’t talk, at least not to each other. Judith was the centre of both our attentions and she was loving it. By the time she had been shampooed and rinsed, I was dripping, though Daryl managed to stay relatively dry. I towelled her down, popped another diaper on her and dressed her in her pyjamas (which Daryl grumbled were her favourite), just as her eyes started to droop. I followed Daryl to her bedroom, humming to her.  
Hush little baby don’t say a word,   
Momma’s gonna buy you a mocking bird,  
And if that mocking bird don’t sing  
Momma’s gonna buy you a diamond ring  
And if that diamond ring turns to brass,  
Momma’s gonna buy you a looking glass…  
I peeked down at Judith, who was already fast asleep. I looked up to find Daryl waiting next to her crib, unreadable expression on his face. I leaned down, gently placing the sleeping girl in her bed, pulling the blanket up over her. She snuggled into it and fell still, body raising and falling slowly with her breath.  
We left, leaving the door ajar, and went back to the kitchen, where I dumped her bath water and cleaned out the basin, Daryl silent.  
I picked up the kettle, letting out a little scream as it burned me, clattering to the ground where I dropped it.  
Daryl was suddenly in front of me, my hand in his, frown on his face as he saw how bad the burn was. “Put some cold water on’it.” He said gruffly, leaving for a moment before returning with a burn salve, presumably from the bathroom. He handed it to me. “Hands’re too rough to put it on for you. I’d only hurt you.”  
“Can you open it and squeeze some on my hand please?”  
He nodded, unscrewing the cap, which slipped out his fingers. “Fuck.” He looked at me sheepishly. “Sorry.” He squeezed some onto my hand, fetching the cap.  
“Why do you apologize for swearing? Fuck knows I do enough of it.”  
“Jus’ seems I should. Dunno.” He shrugged, disappearing again and returning, this time with some gauze. He wrapped it for me, quiet now, before putting that back in its place too. I heard a door open a little and figured he had checked in on Judith.  
“I’m surprised I didn’t wake her.” I commented.  
“She’s used to noise.”  
“Right, of course she is.” We stared at each other from across the kitchen, each leaning on the counter.  
“Sura, Daryl. Wasn’t expecting you.” Rick walked in, making both of us jump.  
“Yeah, uh Carl asked me to look after Judith for a bit, while he did chores. Daryl kept me company.” Though I don’t know how he knew. Or why he pushed past me earlier. I had half a mind to confront him, but I didn’t think I’d get anywhere with that anyway.  
“Yeah.” Was all Daryl said, confirming my story.  
“Judith has been fed and bathed, and she’s sleeping right now.” I said.  
“Well, I’m surprised you managed to get her to sleep this early. Though I see she got you with the bath water.” He chuckled.  
“Oh, yeah.” I’d forgotten I was looking rather dishevelled. “I’m gonna go take a shower and have dinner I guess.” I said, realizing the sun was starting to set outside.  
“Thanks for taking care of Judy. You’re welcome to come over when you feel like it, seems she took a shine to ya.” Rick offered kindly.  
“Actually, I’ve been looking for other chores, Ben only calls for me when he’s overwhelmed, otherwise I’m kicked out.” I watched as Rick nodded in agreement. “I was thinking ‘bout helping you guys on runs too, if you’ll have me.”  
Both men were silent.  
“Have you talked to the administrators?” Rick asked, voice quiet.  
“Not yet, but Carol said if they’d let me go, it’d be with you.”  
There was an awkward silence again. I felt my cheeks burn.  
“Ok, well never mind. Sorry I asked.” I turned and left, silence from them almost a physical blow.   
The sun had set quickly and I stumbled back to my house, tears threatening to spill down my cheeks. I had always been overly sensitive and I hated it. I reached my house, fumbling with the keys.  
“Fuck!” I shouted when I dropped them.  
“Sura?” I whirled, looking like a rabbit caught in headlights.  
Daryl stood at the bottom of my porch, squinting up at me.  
“What?” I turned back, fetching the keys and unlocking my door, letting in swing inwards and walking in. I heard him follow me, take the keys out the lock and place them on the counter.  
“You cryin’?” He didn’t move from the doorway.  
“That much is obvious.” I retorted.  
“Coz of me?”  
I looked at him, standing in my doorway, blackness behind him making it hard for me to see his face.  
I sighed. “Guess I just expected a more enthusiastic response when I offered my help.” I pushed off the counter, walking into the living room. It was a moment before I heard him shut the door and follow me. “Stupid, I guess.”  
“Ain’t stupid. Just not normal.” He responded gruffly, leaning against this doorway now.  
“What do you mean?” I asked, wiping the back of my hand across my eyes.  
“Normal people don’t ask to go back ou’there. Not when they already got somethin’ useful to do.” He chewed on his thumb, watching me from under his bangs.  
“I don’t feel useful.”  
“Whatya mean?” He crossed his arms. “Heard Ben raving ‘bout your stitching.”  
“That’s all I’ve done so far there. That one stitching job. Did more good in one run than I did in the two weeks I’ve been here.”  
“Well, can’t have people falling ill and shit all the time.”  
“Of course, don’t mean it like that. I dunno, just thought there’d be more to do.”  
“You could babysit Lil Ass Kicker.”  
“Is that her nickname?” I asked, smiling through tears.  
“S’what I called her when I first saw her.”  
“You’re good with her.”  
“So are you.”  
“I’m still gonna ask the administrators. Even if I have to go alone.”  
“Don’t be stupid, you won’t go alone.”  
“I should shower, I’m a mess.”  
“Ain’t.” It was so low I hardly heard it.  
I turned to look at him, halfway to my door. “Huh?”  
“Ain’t a mess.” He grumbled, turning and leaving, door slamming behind him.  
“Well ok then.” I remarked to myself, going into my room and stripping down before slipping into the shower. This one was quick, I had only cold till the end of this week. I dressed in warm dry clothes and padded into the kitchen, opening the cupboards. I took down a can of spaghetti-os, not caring to make a proper meal tonight.   
I heated it up, pouring it into a bowl and curling up on my couch to eat. I opened up my book, juggling the bowl and the book as I read.   
A knock at my door startled me. I set the bowl down in the kitchen, having left the book on the chair, with the page folded down where I had left, and opened the door.   
A woman stood on my porch. “Ah, Sura, right?”  
“Um…yes.”  
“I heard you wished to speak to us about the possibility of going out on runs?”  
I placed her face finally, as the woman I had talked to about working at the infirmary. “Yes, I wasn’t expecting a house call though.”  
“Oh, I hope you don’t mind.” She smiled her patent smile once more. When I remained silent, she continued. “We’ve thought it through, and we see no problem, as long as you accompany Rick’s group.”  
“Great, thanks. May I ask who told you?”  
“Rick.” She smiled again and turned on her heel, marching off into the darkness.  
“Fucking Stepford wife.” I shut the door again, leaning against it. I’d have to thank Rick for putting in a good word for me.  
I frowned, suddenly realizing I didn’t even know when their next run was. I cleaned up my dishes, throwing on a hoodie and heading over to Daryl’s. I knocked once, and then again, harder this time.  
“Yeah, commin’!” The door was yanked open. “Can’t a man take a fucking show…” Daryl’s rant died off. “Sura.”  
“That’s my name.”  
He was wrapped only in a towel. Well, he was holding a towel at his waist.  
“You ok?”  
“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”  
“Dunno…why’d you come?”  
“Miss Sunshine and Glee came over to my house to let me know I was cleared for runs with you. Realized I didn’t know when your next one was.”  
“Oh, right.” He stood there for a moment. “Why don’t you come in…was kinda in the middol of my shower.”  
“Sorry, go right ahead, I’ll make myself at home.”  
He grunted and retreated back to the bathroom, where I heard the water turn on again. I waited till it turned off again, stealing his crossbow and sitting in his chair. I heard him drying off and crossed my legs Indian style, waiting for him.  
“Rick was thinkin’…” He emerged from the bathroom and stopped midsentence, staring at me. I felt a curl of warmth in my stomach from the look in his eyes. Daryl’s pants suddenly were too tight. “Umm…” He squinted, shifting his weight. “Thursday.” He finished weakly.  
“Thursday’s good. Gives me a day to let Ben know, and protest if I’m needed.”  
He just stood, staring. I was unaware of his roiling thoughts, one idea chasing another, set off by seeing me in his chair, so unexpected, his spot, long milky legs wrapped under me and hair still wet from my shower.  
“I’ll get out of your way.” I whispered, unfurling myself. He didn’t move as I brushed past him, but I noticed him lean in ever so slightly as I passed. “Goodnight Mr. Dixon.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Lost too many people.” He mumbled, pushing away from me, turning his back.  
> “I know.” I stood. “If I make dinner, will you stay and tell me about it?”  
> “Ain’t a good story.”  
> “I ain’t asking for a bedtime tale.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gotta admit, i got emotional writing the bit about Beth.
> 
>  
> 
> Thanks for reading, please leaves comments! :)

I found Ben in the morning and told him of my plans. He barely seemed to notice and waved me off, bending back over a microscope. Rude.  
I found Carl and Judith after that, letting Carl know he was free to go if he liked. He made a face for a second, as if deciding, and then ran off. I took Judith with me, packing a small bag with some baby food and a towel, and, with her on my hip, playing with my hair, off we went for a walk. I left a note on the counter in case Rick or Carl came back before I did.  
We walked past Carol’s work place, popping in to say hey.  
“Oh hi Judith!” She cooed, giving the baby her finger to play with.  
“I managed to convince the administrators. Or Rick did anyway.” I told her.  
“Really? He must have done some magic.”  
“I know, I have to thank him.” I hoisted Judith up, sitting her on the counter, one hand kept around her so she wouldn’t fall.  
“Funny thing, thanking someone for putting your life at risk.” She laughed, but I could tell it wasn’t sincere.  
“I’ll be fine. Made it this far didn’t I? And that was all alone.” I responded a little sharper than I intended.  
“Alright, it’s your choice after all. Just wouldn’t want to see Judith missing her favourite babysitter.” She smiled at the girl, who was watching us intently as though she could understand us.  
We were silent for a moment, just watching her.  
“Any idea where Rick might be?” I asked, stopping Judith from playing with a pen.  
“Might be in the gardens.”  
“Well, I’m gonna go see if I can find him then.” I hesitated. “Sorry for snapping, just no one seems to have any faith in me.”  
“It ain’t that honey, we just worry is all.”  
I smiled. “Thanks Carol.” I propped Judy on my hip again. “Later. Say bye Judith!” I waved her little arm for her and she giggled.  
I found Rick on his knees in the dirt.  
“Having fun there?”  
“Planting seeds actually.” He turned, shielding his eyes against the sun. “You brought Judith.” He smiled. “What’s Carl up to?”  
“Probably no good. Dunno, he didn’t say where he was going.”  
“Well, it’s nice of you to give him a break.”  
“I wanted to thank you for making the run thing possible. One of the administrators showed up yesterday at my door to let me know.”  
“Oh good so Sally already told you.”  
“At least I can stop calling her Miss Sunshine and Glee now.”  
He looked at me funny while I lay out the towel on the grass beside the dirt and sat Judith down.  
“Daryl said we were going tomorrow?” I picked some flowers from the ground, splitting the end with my nail and threading them together.  
“Yep. Run into town to get some general supplies.” He bent back to his seeds.  
“Same town I’ve been to?”  
“Well, you kinda only saw the outskirt part. We’re going a little further in.”  
“Ok, sounds good.” I placed the flower crown on Judith’s head, smiling at how pretty she looked. I gave her some flowers to play with, which she proceeded to rip apart. “Cars?”  
“Till about where you were, then on foot.”  
“Great. Is there a sports shop there?”  
“Might be, why?”  
“Might have things that are good weapons, like ice picks and such. Maybe even some arrows for Daryl’s crossbow too. If we’re lucky, hunting guns, but that’s unlikely.”  
“Sounds like a plan, we’ll have a look ‘round.”  
“Ok!” I smiled.  
I heard a camera click and whirled around. Glenn grinned at me, flapping a photo in the wind so it would develop.  
“Hope you don’t mind. Judith looks lovely with the crown, and you smiled, so…”  
“You have a camera? Wow.”  
“Yeah, hard to find film though, so have to keep it for special occasions.”  
“I’ll keep an eye out for film then.”  
“You cleared?”  
I nodded.  
“Awesome. I’m not going tomorrow, but I’ll catch you on a run sometime. Here.” He handed me the photo, developed. “I’m gonna go find Mags. Rick, I need to talk to you before you go tomorrow, yeah?” He waved to both of us and took off.  
I stared at the photograph. It had that lovely vintage look about it and both Judith and I were smiling, hair lit up by the sun. I pressed it to my chest, treasuring it.  
“Let me see.” Rick said, shuffling over on his knees.  
“No touching, you’ll full of dirt.”  
He laughed, squinting to see the photo I held in my hand. “That’s a damn nice photo Sura. Don’t lose it.”  
“Don’t worry, I won’t.” I stuck it inside the pocket on the inside of my shirt, making sure it wouldn’t fall out.  
I pulled out Judith’s food and a spoon, setting her in my lap and making airplane spoonful’s land in her mouth. Rick finished up, dusting off his hands and coming to sit next to us in the sun. Judith leaned his way, chubby little hands flexing at him. I picked her up, depositing her in her dad’s lap. He smiled, leaning back till they were both lying, Judith on his chest.  
“Now, see, that’s why we need to keep an eye out for film.” I remarked.  
“Why’s that?”  
“’Coz if that ain’t the cutest thing I’ve seen in three years, then I’ll be damned.”  
He chuckled but quieted when he saw Judith was slowly falling asleep.  
“Guess I better get her back to her cot.” I whispered.  
“Don’t worry, I got her. Need to go home and shower anyway.”  
I shrugged, packing the towel, empty jar and spoon back in and handing it to Rick, before giving Judith a light kiss on her head. She smelled wonderful, as all babies do.  
“Thanks” Rick mouthed at me and I nodded, watching him walk down the street, Judith’s head lolling against his shoulder as she slept. I looked around, suddenly rather unsure what to do with the rest of my day. I figured I could go home for a bit, maybe clean the place up. I’d wanted to try and make it more my own after I’d seen Daryl’s personalized version.  
Bringing along furniture wasn’t exactly an option on runs, but little things might be possible.  
As I walked in, I heard the static of my walkie-talkie. I sprinted to my room.  
“Sura here.” I released the button.  
“Sura, good, would you come help me? There’s a man here needs stitching.”  
“Sure, be right over.”  
I sighed. When I finally wanted to do something, Ben suddenly wanted me in his office. I turned right back around, slamming the door behind me and skipping down the steps of my porch. I saw Daryl on his and waved. He lifted one hand in greeting, blowing out cigarette smoke.  
I entered without knocking, going straight to the back. Ben was there, bent over a person.  
“I’m here.”  
Ben turned, covered in blood. “I had to remove his arm. I managed to do it so that some skin was left for sewing over.” And just like that, he left.  
“Well ok then.” I mumbled. I approached the cot, amazed at the amount of blood. There was never enough blood in shows and films. This man hadn’t lost seven litres, but two was enough to soak half a room. I quickly proceeded to disinfect my hands thoroughly, picking up the needle and string. When I turned back the man’s eyes were wide open, and trained on me, making me jump.  
“Are you all right? Do you need painkillers? Ben? Have you given him painkillers?” I shouted.  
“Not yet, he passed out!” He yelled back. I chocked back outrage. That didn’t mean he couldn’t have put some into the drip he had the man on. I opened the storage, rummaging around till I found what I was looking for, re-locking the door. I injected it into the drip and the man visibly relaxed after a few moments. I disinfected again after tying up my hair securely and tucking it into my shirt at the back. I got to work, sewing the two skin flaps shut as well as I could with all the slippery blood. By the time I was satisfied, I was also covered in blood, except I had no lab coat on to shield my clothes. There went that shirt.  
I checked the man’s pulse, which was steady, and wrapped the stump in antiseptic gauze, cleaning the stitching lines quickly before. Satisfied, I stood, knees protesting, and washed my hands in the basin.  
Ben was hunched over something in his office and when I knocked on the door he nearly jumped two feet.  
“That’ll be all.” He said, voice rather high-strung.  
“What happened to the man?”  
“He was bitten.” He answered, all too quickly.  
“Ben? Why are you being so odd?” I felt a weird feeling twisting in my belly.  
“It’s nothing. Need to get back to work is all.”  
He shifted and I saw human fingers. “Are you using his arm?” I felt rather sick.  
“It’s freshly turning cells. Essential for my research. Now go, go on!” He shut the door in my face.  
“Welcome asshole.” I checked in on the man one more time and, seeing his chest rise and fall at a normal pace, I left.  
I climbed the steps of my house, suddenly weary, dragging my feet and unlocking the door. I was just in my bathroom when I heard my front door slam open and thudding footsteps follow. Suddenly, Daryl was in front of me, hands on my shoulders, look of utter despair on his face.  
“Are you alright?” I suddenly realized he was talking.  
“Bit tired, could eat three lasagnes right now, but I’m cool.” I looked at his panicked expression. “Why?”  
“You’re bleedin’! Oh god so much blood…” He made a low keening sound I didn’t know he was capable of.  
“Daryl!” I grabbed his face, forcing him to look up from my blood soaked shirt. “It’s not my blood.”  
He was suddenly very still. “Ain’t yours?” He squinted down at my face.  
“No, I had to stitch a man up. He’d just lost his arm.”  
“A man lost his arm?” He seemed very lost, eyes blank.  
“Yes, Daryl. Why don’t you sit down here on my bed? I’m gonna shower, coz red really isn’t my colour.” He sat. “Can you just stay here? I need to ask you something after.”  
He looked up at me, face indifferent again. “Yeah.” It was quiet.  
I leaned forward, giving him a kiss on the crown of his head and then grabbed my towel, shutting the bathroom door behind me. I turned on the water, noticing how badly I was shaking. I removed the photo form my shirt, miraculously unstained, setting it on the sink's rim. The shirt I left in the tub, I’d get rid of it later, and I washed until the water ran clear again. I towelled dry and realized I hadn’t brought any clothes in. Don’t you just love clichés?  
I peeked out, Daryl still sitting on my bed. I wasn’t gonna be a bitch about it, I’d just get my shit and come back. Which I did. I could feel Daryl’s eyes watching me as I opened my wardrobe and ever shift my towel made my heart leapt.  
Once dressed, I remerged, hanging the towel on the door.  
I walked over to Daryl and sat next to him on the bed.  
“I saw ya from my place.” I closed my mouth, question forgotten. “You were covered in blood, I could see the red, and you were draggin’ your feet. Oh god Sura, for a minute I thought…” He swallowed. “I thought somethin’ had happened. You’d been bit or some shit.” He looked down at his hands. “I lost it. I think I broke your door.” His head hung lower, if possible. “’M sorry.”  
I stared at him, but he didn’t look my way, so I got on my knees in front of him, hands resting on his knees. “Daryl. I honestly couldn’t give a fuck about my door.” He looked at me out of lidded eyes. “I’m flattered, honoured, that you care that much to come running over.”  
“Lost too many people.” He mumbled, pushing away from me, turning his back.  
“I know.” I stood. “If I make dinner, will you stay and tell me about it?”  
“Ain’t a good story.”  
“I ain’t asking for a bedtime tale.”  
“I don’t know if I can trust you.” His words weren’t meant to hurt, but I felt a sting nevertheless.  
“That can only be your decision. I’m making venison rice.” I left him, going to the kitchen. My door was indeed hanging wide open, hinges bent. Cool night air came in through the open doorway and I shivered. I tried to close it as best I could, so at least there wasn’t a gaping black hole to my right as I cooked. The sun had set sometime after I had gotten home. I busied myself with making the meal, portioning for two. If Daryl didn’t stay, then I’d put some away for tomorrow. Or eat the whole thing while wallowing in self-pity. I’d decide later.  
I dished it out on two plates, walking into the living room. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Daryl still sitting on my bed. I placed his plate on the coffee table and sat down with mine, wolfing it down.  
He approached without a word, like a starving, frightened animal who is offered sustenance by a stranger. But he sat, and we ate in silence, until we both scraped the bottom of our bowls. I held out my hand for his and took the dishes into the kitchen, quickly washing them and setting them to dry. I grabbed two beers from the fridge and sat back down, offering him one.  
“Thanks.” He mumbled.  
“Welcome.”  
It was a moment before he talked.  
“Beth. That was her name.”  
I remained silent, breath bated.  
“She was the only person to truly understand me. Sure, Rick’s a good friend, but…he don’t understand me. Never really tried. Just filed me into the category of ‘troubled past; can trust’.”  
I think it was the longest sentence he’d ever said around me.  
“She told me I didn’t have to go on being that troubled person. The one full of disappointment, hurt, shame…and when I was with her, I was different. I was who I wanted to be, not who I should be.” He fumbled with the bottle. “It was like she allowed it, encouraged it. I’ve ne’er had that before.”  
“She was amazing then.”  
“More than.”  
“Did you love her?”  
“I shouldn’t have. She was so much younger. But I did. Never told her, never acted on it. But I think she knew anyway. Beth knew things about people they didn’t even realize themselves.” He fell silent and I saw his eyes, watery behind his long bangs. “She said I’d miss her when she was gone. And god was she so right.” His hand found his face, scrunched up in a snarl. He sobbed “So fuckin’ right.” And then his beer fell to the floor, tipping over as he wept.  
I went to him, climbing over the chair and wrapping my arms around him from behind, holding him close to me. He remained unyielding, sobs wracking his body violently as he tried to keep them in, my arms wet where his tears fell. My own eyes were long flooded and I cried with him silently until he stilled a little. He still shook like a leaf, fine trembling that worried me too much. He sniffed, nose now full. I untangled myself, fetching Kleenex and returning, taking one for myself and giving him the pack. He spent a few moments blowing his nose while I awkwardly stood there, unsure what to do, before he grabbed me, somehow dumping me sideways in his lap, wrapped in his arms.  
“I thought I’d lost you. You’re the only one that doesn’t…hate me.”  
“Daryl, no one hates you.”  
“They hate part of me. The part that Beth didn’t see in me. The old me. I was a dick when I first joined their group. Too much of my brother rubbin’ off on me.”  
“We all get second chances.”  
“They might trust me now, but they still pity me. Pity me for the man I used to be. And I hate that.” His trembling had subsided.  
“Well, I’m not going anywhere. And believe me, when I think of you, the last emotion that comes to mind is pity.”  
He watched me from under his bangs, face solemn.  
“Spilt my beer all over your floor.”  
“Fuck my floor. Fuck my door. Could make a poem soon enough. Gives it character.”  
A ghost of a smile tugged at his lips.  
“Wanna sleep at mine?” I think he blushed. “You know, coz sleepin’ with a broken door ain’t very restful.”  
“What a gentleman, I will take you up on that offer, Rambo.” I wriggled out of his lap, fetching pyjamas and taking my only two valuable items, my Swiss knife and my dagger and sheath.  
“Ready?” I asked, waiting for him to stand and follow, before yanking back my front door (which fell of the hinges completely and lay resting against the wall).  
“Want anything to drink or eat?”  
“Just some water.” I brandished my pyjamas. “Where can I change?”  
“My room. Last door on the left.”  
I obliged, quickly stripping and putting on my soft pyjamas. My prized shirt that had been with me since the beginning was now my sleep shirt. It had a picture of a fluffy cat that said ‘You’ve got to be kitten me.’ I left my shoes off, padding back into the living room, where Daryl was sitting in his chair. He snorted when he saw my shirt, handing me some water.  
“What? It my favourite shirt.” I sipped the water.  
“Nothin’.”  
“Mhm.” I sat. “So are we sleeping together?”  
Daryl choked on his soda, coughing and spluttering.  
“I meant sleeping, in the same bed.”  
“I knew that! Just went down the wrong tube is all.”  
“I’m sure.” I smirked.  
“Naw, I’ll sleep on this chair.”  
“You sure? Don’t feel right kicking you out of your own bed.”  
“Well I kicked you out of your own house.” He retorted, smirking too.  
“Well, you have a point there.” I conceded.  
“Besides, chair’s bout as comfy if not more than the bed.”  
“Maybe I want the chair instead.”  
He looked perplexed for a moment.  
“I’m only joking. We should probably sleep. What time do we leave tomorrow?”  
“Soon as Lil Ass Kicker is fed.”  
I nodded, picking up my glass of water. “Night Daryl.” I kissed his cheek, feeling him hot where I touched him.  
“Night.” He replied gruffly. I was glad he was back to his old self.  
I lay down in his bed, conscious of his scent everywhere, and fell asleep quickly, sleeping better than I had since I arrived.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “We goin’ or what?” Daryl’s voice broke our reverie.  
> “Right, yeah. Michonne is coming along too.” Rick answered, grabbing his pack.  
> “Right, meetin’ her by the car?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the short chapter, i'm working today and tomorrow in the lab, but should have time tomorrow evening for a proper writing session.  
> Enjoy!  
> x

I heard Daryl open the door and ‘tiptoe’ to his wardrobe in the morning.  
“Morning.” I drawled, I swear I saw him jump just a little.  
“Dammit woman.” He mumbled.  
I sat up on his bed, feeling my hair tousled. I noticed he was still standing at his wardrobe, watching me.  
“Do you need the room?”  
“Uh, no.” He mumbled, ducking his head and leaving.  
“Right.” I remarked to the empty room. I got up, deciding I’d go home and change, then let someone know about my door. “Daryl?”  
I heard a grunt from the bathroom.   
“I’m going to mine to get changed, then I’m gonna tell someone a wild bull knocked down my door last night.”  
“Very funny.” He remarked, coming out of the bathroom, looking awkward.  
I punched him in the arm. “You know I don’t mean it, toro.”   
He grumbled something and I smiled, dodging him and leaving for my place.   
“Meet you at Rick’s?” I called over my shoulder.  
“Yes.”  
I tried to be careful with the door, but it fell with a loud thud against the wall.  
“Honey, I’m home.” I called out in joke. I heard a scoff as Daryl passed me outside.  
I changed into a shirt and some pants, strapping my knife round my hips and grabbing my pack.  
I met them at Rick’s, just as he was finishing the last of Judith’s baby food. She squealed when she saw me, obviously pleased with all the attention.  
“Carl, if you get fed up, Carol said she’d take Judith.” I said. I’d popped in to her office to tell her about my door.  
“Great, thanks.”  
“We goin’ or what?” Daryl’s voice broke our reverie.  
“Right, yeah. Michonne is coming along too.” Rick answered, grabbing his pack.  
“Right, meetin’ her by the car?”  
“Gates.”  
I had yet to meet Michonne in person, though I’d heard plenty about her. We waved goodbye to Judith and Carl and collected out car, picking Michonne up as the gates opened. She sat next to me in the back, smiling a lovely smile and shaking my hand when we were formally introduced by Rick.  
“Let’s go!” Daryl interjected, impacient.  
Michonne raised an eyebrow at me and I just shrugged. Rick put it into drive and we were clear of the gates in seconds. The drive there was relatively quiet, Michonne chatting with me in a low voice, boys both silent. We stopped at the little group of shops, parking the cars and taking the bags.  
“It’s only five minutes’ walk, we’ll go through the woods in case any walkers heard us.” Rick announced. I nodded, noticing I was the only one with only a dagger for protection.  
I got to see Michonne’s talent with her katana soon enough, when a couple of walkers, one missing half his torso and the other dragging a shattered leg, had their heads split in half with one fell swoop of her sword. The craniums fell to the floor in a heap of black mush.

“Nice.” I remarked and she grinned before focussing back on the woods in front of us.   
We reached the town without further encounters, but were stumped when we got there. Walkers were wandering around in most of the streets that we could see from the small hill that overlooked them.  
“So what now?” I whispered.  
“There weren’t so many last time.” Rick commented.  
“How about a distraction?” Michonne suggested.  
“Could work.” Daryl mumbled.  
“Anything in mind?” Rick asked.  
We fell silent.  
“We need something that draws these guys, but doesn’t call more from far away.” I said, eyes scanning the streets. “There’s a glass shop over there, vases and shit. If I go in there, maybe I can set it up so that it doesn’t fall all at once, but every few moments.”  
“How?”  
“Toyshop.” I answered.  
“What?” Daryl asked.  
“Windup toys. Put one on each shelf. As they walk, they’ll push the glass off.”  
“I’ll be damned.” Michonne said.  
“We splitting or all together?”  
“I have to do it alone, two is already too conspicuous.” I decided.  
Something dark passed behind Daryl’s eyes. “Don’t think it’s a good idea.”  
“No argument, I’m the smallest.” I didn’t wait for an answer. “Where do we meet?”  
“Sports shop?” Rick smiled as he pointed at it.   
“Deal.”  
I ran down the hill in the opposite direction from them, keeping an eye out for walkers, heart going a mile a minute that had nothing to do with a light sprint. I ducked into the toy store, miraculously clear, and shut the door. It was dark inside, but I found the wind-up section picking out the five biggest toys. A small tube of plastic animal toys caught my eye and I smiled, popping it into my pack for Judith.  
I opened the door once more, coming face-to-face with a walker, which gurgled with his ruined throat. I backed up, bringing it inside before sinking my knife into its head. After that, I peeked outside again, making sure the coast was clear before dashing across the open space, making it to the next door in a time a professional runner might be jealous of.  
I ducked inside, setting up my toys and winding them up, making sure to remove the first cups off the shelves to give me time to get clear and putting the rest near the edge so they’d fall off. Satisfied, I fled the scene, hearing the first cup crash to the ground just as I got behind a corner.  
A clammy hand camped over my mouth and my stomach flipped, hands flailing before I felt something metal press into my back.  
“Not a move there sweet cheeks.” I heard someone breathe near my ear. “Smart little bitch, to rig that trap. Now don’t scream, or I’ll stick this blade deep enough that you’ll never walk again.”  
I felt him remove his disgusting hand, moving it to my stomach, where he pushed me to the wall of the building.  
“You have a group? A man that loves you?” He sneered, laughing at his jibe.  
“Fuck you.”  
“Damn, you’ve got a nasty mouth on you.” He hissed, leaning into me. “What else is nasty bout you?”  
I gagged, mind racing to how I’d get out of this. I knew the others would eventually come find me, but I didn’t want to have to wait till then, for obvious reasons.  
“I don’t think she wants anythin’ from you.” Daryl’s rough, husky voice was like an angel’s to me.  
“This your boyfriend?” The man joked, pulling a shotgun up into Daryl’s face.  
“Get the fuck off her.” Daryl’s voice was cold.  
“What you gonna do ‘bout i-“  
The man’s retort was cut short, arrow sticking out his eye. He collapsed in a heap and Daryl pulled the arrow back out, picking up the shotgun.  
“Y’alright?”  
“No.”  
He stood there for a moment before pulling me in, crushing me against his hard body. I held him for a moment, eyes miraculously dry, before we pulled apart, both moving as though we had talked, yet no word passed between us. We found Rick and Michonne just inside the sports shop. I could still hear the glass crashing in the back.  
“All ok? You were taking a little, so Rick let Daryl go after you.”  
“Fine.” I lied, ducking into the camping aisle with a duffel bag in hand. “Do we need tents or sleeping bags?”  
“Nah, not at the moment, but good to know they have them here.” Rick replied.  
I continued down the aisle, bagging ice picks, extra tent pegs that could be used for other things, a couple of light weight thermal shirts and a handful of each type of meal ration. I wandered down to the back lane, where I turned right. I smiled.   
A sign saying ‘archery’ hung over rows of bows, arrows, targets and other paraphernalia.


	7. Consequences

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I found him in the back room, fussing over a man covered in blood, cutting his shirt with some scissors. My heart skipped two beats and then lurched into overdrive.   
> Daryl lay on the cot, unconscious face slack.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nother shortish one, but my head feels like it's gonna explode.  
> x

Daryl drove on the way home, stealing only one glance at me and then staring stoically ahead.  
We unloaded the car, boot full of bows and arrows, clothes, food and trinkets, and distributed the items to some men and women for them to take to storage. I grabbed my bag and left, nearly running to my house. When I arrived the door was already fixed and I slammed it behind me, throwing my bag on the counter in the kitchen and stripping, going straight for the bathroom. I turned on the water, stepping in, tears mixing with the stream as I cried silently.  
“Sura?” I heard Michonne’s voice outside the bathroom door.  
“You can come in.”  
I heard the door open and close and Michonne stood there, looking at me. “What happened?” She sat on the closed toilet seat.  
“A man caught me after I rigged the trap. He would’ve…” I choked on my words.  
“But he didn’t?”  
“Daryl pulled him off me. He ran off.” I sat down in the bathtub. “He looked so disappointed in me.”  
“I doubt that Sura.” She picked up a towel. “Why don’t you come out, I’ll make pancakes.”  
I considered that, but, unable to refuse, turn the tap off and took the towel she offered me, smile on her face. “Get dressed in something comfy, I’ll start on lunch.”  
I dried off, leaving the towel on my head, and pulled on my pyjama shirt and a pair of extra slouchy pants, exiting to the kitchen. I found Michonne there, pancakes stacked high, and she wasn’t alone.  
“I ain’t staying, got wall duty, jus’ wanted to give ya this Sura.” Daryl pointed to something in his lap and stood, presenting me with a crossbow. “It’ll take a while to get used to, but I saved it for you ‘coz you ain’t got no gun or anything.”  
I stood there, feeling my eyes prickle and spill over again, until I wept.  
“Uh…what did I do?” Daryl half-whispered to Michonne.  
“Nothing, she just needs some space.” She answered, shooing him out the door. “She’ll go over to you when she’s ready to Daryl.”  
“But…” His voice died out as they stepped outside.  
Michonne re-entered, shutting the door behind her. “Come on sweety, pancakes are getting cold.”  
I sniffled, sitting down and spearing a couple onto my plate, with a generous spill of syrup, and digging in.  
“I feel horrible. He gives me something and I cry like an idiot.” I admitted between moutfuls.  
“You’re just fragile right now, its normal.” Michonne replied, popping a forkful of pancakes with syrup in her mouth.  
“Damn good pancakes.” I muttered. I reached over, picking up the crossbow. It was lighter than Daryl’s, and fit better in my hands, metallic colour pleasing to the eye. “I feel like a brat.”  
“Well if you feel so bad, go find him.” She grabbed the plates, washing up, ignoring my protests of ‘who cooks doesn’t clean’ and shooed me out the door with her. “Go on, I have places to be.”  
“Thanks. For everything, really, I needed that.”  
“Anytime.” She smiled, walking off in the other direction.   
I wandered to the wall, but was disappointed when I only found a couple of people I didn’t know manning it.   
“Afternoon, has any of you seen Daryl?”  
“He went out, asked me to cover for him.” A man responded, looking down at me.  
“Out?”  
“Yeah, looked kinda pissed off. Took his bike and went.”  
“Right, thanks.” My heart was hammering in my chest. It was my fault he’d left.  
I wandered over to Rick, telling him what had happened and picking Judith up when she refused to be ignored.  
“He’ll be fine, goes out all the time.” Rick assured me.   
I wasn’t assured.  
I spent the rest of the day with Judith and, after dropping her off again, dropped into the infirmary to check the man’s bandages, even though Ben hadn’t called. When I arrived, the bed was empty. I stood there, staring at the empty cot, unable to think where the man had gone.  
“He died.” Ben answered when I asked him.  
“What? How?”  
“Infection took hold in his arm. Had septicaemia before I noticed.”  
I felt like telling him maybe it was because he had paid absolutely no mind to the patient, but I gritted my teeth and left.   
My stress and despair grew as the shadows grew long and Daryl still hadn’t returned. I waited on my porch, so if he walked past I’d catch him. I began to pick at the seat’s paint subconsciously, jumping when I heard the walkie-talkie buzzing inside. I sighed, not feeling like facing Ben again, and walked inside to retrieve it.   
“Sura here.”  
“Sura, come quick, we have an emergency.” I set it down, grabbing my keys and sprinting over to the infirmary. The urgency in Ben’s voice had been clear.  
I found him in the back room, fussing over a man covered in blood, cutting his shirt with some scissors. My heart skipped two beats and then lurched into overdrive.   
Daryl lay on the cot, unconscious face slack.  
“Get out.” I heard my own voice say.  
“What?”  
“I said get away from him. I’ll handle it.” I don’t know why but I felt suddenly wary of Ben.  
He stared at me for a while, almost a challenge, before leaving and shutting the door behind him. I spurred into action, removing my hoodie and tying my hair, then disinfecting. I removed the rest of his shirt as well, dumping it unceremoniously in a pile at the foot of the bed, leaving him only in his pants. His chest and stomach had three deep gashes in them and I choked back a sob. When those were treated and stitched, I moved to remove his pants, where I could see blood seeping through on one of his thighs. What I did not expect was for Daryl to be going full commando. I stared for a moment, entranced by his dark tufts of curls, before snapping back to reality, yanking the rest down. I allowed myself only a glance, before focusing on his leg. I hissed when I saw it was a bullet wound, with no exit wound to match.  
Resigning myself to hurting him for the better good, I picked out a pair of tweezers, and went to my knees next to the bed, bracing myself. The minute I introduced the metal into the wound he jerked, but remained unconscious. I pushed down further until I felt metal scrape metal. The next few minutes were torturous pulling, bleeding and jerking.  
“I’m so sorry.” I whispered, throwing the bullet into the basin along with the tweezers. I stitched the hole together, disinfecting thoroughly and bandaging everything. When I moved to bandage his torso, my hands found rougher skin on his back. I turned him slightly, frowning when I saw his skin littered with scars.  
“Daryl?” I saw him stir.  
“Mhph.” He responded.  
“Do you think you can make it to my place if I help you?”  
“Yeah.”   
“Ok, let me just grab some things. Try and sit up, ‘kay?”  
I grabbed painkillers, alcohol and bandages, shoving them inside a towel and wrapping it up. I found Daryl sitting up, pained look on his face.  
“Here, take two of these.” I said, offering him some painkillers.  
He threw them back with a glass of water. “Where’s my shirt?”  
“Had to cut it to get to your torso.”  
A look passed over his face. “You’ve seen them then.”  
“Seen what?”  
“M’scars.” He mumbled.  
“Yes.” I replied, hauling him up and putting his arm on my shoulder.  
He seemed pleased with my lack of interest in the subject and limped out with me into the cool night air.  
“Why ain’t I staying there?”  
“Don’t trust Ben anymore. I left a patient yesterday after being treated, I went there today and Ben said he had died. There was no sign of him.”  
“He could have really died Sura.”  
“With septicaemia? After less than twenty-four hours? I think not.”  
We made it to my place.  
“Nice door.” Daryl remarked.  
“Painkillers kicking in?”  
“Mhm.” He mumbled back. I deposited him on my bed, careful to help him lie down, and got us both a glass of water, locking my front door and shutting my bedroom door after me.   
“You feeling ok?” I asked, handing him water.  
“Never better.” He watched me as I went to the other side of the bed, sitting next to him, back propped against the wall. “Got a gorgeous nurse to look after me.”  
“Daryl you must be high off those meds.”  
“Maybe. Doesn’t make what I’m sayin’ untrue.” He was looking up at me, smile on his face.  
“Ok Casanova. Sleep time.”  
“Don’t leave.”  
“You want me to stay?”  
He nodded, for all the world like a little kid.  
I laughed, shimmying down until I lay next to him. “Tomorrow I want answers.” I told him.  
“Then you’ll have’m.” His eyes were heavy, lids threatening to shut.  
“Sleep Daryl. I’m right here.”


	8. Blood and Bandages

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “But you know…right?”  
> “I know?”  
> “I’d kill myself ‘fore hurting you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all! Got a horrible headache, but here's chapter 8.  
> Please leave comments, they make my day :)  
> x

I watched him as he stirred into wakefulness.   
“Where the fuck am I?” He mumbled.  
“In my bed.” I answered, handing him two more painkillers and some water.  
He swallowed it like a good boy, blue eyes finding me.  
“Is a comfy bed.”  
“I’m glad you enjoy it.” I remarked dryly, getting up.  
“Where you going?”  
“Gonna make us some breakfast. Stay here.”  
I rustled up some scrambled eggs on toast, returning to find him propped up in bed.  
“Smells good.” He grumbled when I handed him a plate and a fork.  
We ate in silence, Daryl polishing his off in record time and bashfully nodding when I asked if he wanted more. When we were both sated, I collected our plates, washed them and returned with some juice.  
“So what the hell happened?”  
I saw him stiffen at my question. “Just a bike accident.”  
“So your bike threw you off and shot you in the leg? Or have you forgotten I tended to your wounds?”  
“You don’t need to know.”  
I felt a stab of betrayal. “Fine. Get out of my house then.”  
“What?”  
“You obviously don’t trust me.”   
“I do.” His eyebrows knit together.  
“Then why won’t you tell me?”  
“’Coz you’ll think I’m an idiot!” He threw at me, wincing as his efforts pulled at his stitches.  
“Try me.”  
“I went back to find that cunt that touched you.”  
“What?” My arms fell to my sides from where they had been crossed on my chest.  
“There were more than I thought.”  
“Why did you do that?”  
“’Coz I saw the way you were. It was like you were broken.”  
“Daryl, I was just shaken, that’s all.”  
“You didn’t even want to see me.” He whispered, but I heard him.  
“I didn’t mean to push you out. I just…needed girl time.”  
“Girl time?” He asked incredulously.  
“Well if you had some woman petting you like a pervert perhaps you wouldn’t want to be around girls for a while either!” I threw back.  
“What you think I’d do the same?” His voice was cold now.  
“That ain’t what I meant.”  
“Then what did you mean?”  
“God Daryl I don’t know! I’m sorry if my body had an involuntary reaction when I saw you, even though in my mind I know you’d never hurt me!” I turned away from him, hugging myself. “We’d like to admit we’re always in control of ourselves, Daryl. But that would be lying.”  
“But you know…right?”  
“I know?”  
“I’d kill myself ‘fore hurting you.”  
“Why?”  
“’Coz you’re family. And the way you are round me, reminds me of Beth.” I felt his hand grasp my elbow, weakly trying to pull me around. “You know who I am. Com’ere you stubborn woman.” He grumbled the last bit, giving me a harder yank.  
I turned to him, unsure and trembling. He patted the bed next to him.  
“You’re bleeding again.” I remarked, startled.   
“Well you made me yank you round.”  
“Sorry. Lie down, I’ll have a look. Need to change the bandages anyway.”  
He did as I requested, shuffling down till he was horizontal, and pulled the sheet back.  
“I’m naked.” He stated.  
“Yes. Been that way since yesterday.” I shouted from the living room where the things were.  
“You mean we walked all the way here with me naked?”  
“Ain’t that far.”  
“Ain’t that…” He had covered himself to his waist. “Could you at least have put some boxers on me?”  
“If you had any on, I would have left them on.”   
Silence. Exactly Daryl.  
“You’re gonna have to get some for me.”  
“I know, I’ll tend to the bandages first.”  
“But there’s one on ma leg.”  
“Nothing I hadn’t seen yesterday Daryl.” I reminded him, unravelling the gauze on his torso.  
“Yeah but…”  
“You can just stick your leg out from under the sheet. Don’t panic.”  
He grumbled something that I didn’t catch. His third slash was indeed bleeding, but thankfully the stitches had held. I cleaned it up, as well as the other two, wrapping them once more.   
“Come on.” I prompted, waiting for him to stick his leg out.  
“Can’t move it. Hurts like a sun’bitch.”  
I reached under the sheet, pulling at his knee till his leg was showing.   
“Dammit!” He cursed.  
“Sorry.” I muttered, pulling back the bandage. The wound seemed pretty clean, but I wiped it down and re-wrapped it, pulling the sheet back over him. “I’ll go get some clothes for you then. Is it locked?”  
“Nah, left in a hurry, the key’s inside.” I nodded and left, walking over to his and letting myself in. It was still inside, and I made my way to his room, opening up the wardrobe. I grabbed a pair of black boxers (which I noticed he had few of, he must prefer commando), the biggest pair of pants I could find and a loose shirt. I wrapped the belongings under my arm and returning to my house, careful to take his keys and lock his door on the way out.   
“Got your clothes.” I called out, entering the room, but Daryl wasn’t there. “Daryl?”  
“Had to take a piss.” He called out from my bathroom.  
“Can I come in? I leave you things in the bathroom.”  
There was a slight hesitation. “Yeah.”  
I opened the door, stifling a laugh when I heard his pee hitting the toilet bowl, and stealing a glance at his bum. Cute bum. I shook my head, placing his stuff on the sink. “Let me know if you need help.” I offered, exiting again and going to check the bed, in case he had bled onto the sheets. There were clear, so I sat down on the edge of the bed.  
A few moments passed. I heard the sounds of Daryl trying to get dressed on his own, until:  
“Sura?”  
“Yes?”  
He didn’t answer, but I walked in, finding him sitting on the floor, defeated look on his face. I didn’t say a word, just walked to him and helped him stand after pulling the rest of his pants over his feet, then pulling them up to his waist for him, where he snapped them shut and waited as I gathered his shirt. His arms he could only comfortably raise until shoulder height, so I fed his hands through the sleeves and pulled it over his head, shaking it out so it fell over the rest of his torso.  
“Thanks.” He grumbled, limping past me.  
He wouldn’t look at me as I followed him out to the living room, where he fell into the couch, wincing.  
“Soda?” I asked him.  
“Beer.”   
“Can’t, you’re on medication.”  
“Fuck. Soda then.”  
I brought us two drinks, sitting down opposite him.  
“So, when you got there and you saw there were more than you bargained for…what then?”  
“They’d already seen me. I killed the one that had touched you.”  
“Jesus Daryl.”  
He ignored me. “They took my crossbow, tied me up, cut my three times with a knife.” He took a sip. “I was bleedin’ heavily, knew I had to get out of there soon. So I waited until the right moment. I saw a couple of walkers on the edge of the clearin’, so I yelled. They came our way, and one of the men got so angry he shot me leg to shut me up.”  
“And then?”  
“I managed to kick one of the men as the walkers neared, sending him straight into the jaws of one of them. The other man turned to me, stupid like, and got bit too. Lucky for me he killed the bugger, then lie there dyin’.”  
“You could have died.”  
“Yeah, could’ve. Managed to reach the knife one of’em had, cut myself loose and drove here just in time to collapse in front of the gate.”  
“Does anyone else know what happened?”  
“Rick saw me. No doubt told the others. Surprised he ain’t come lookin’.”  
“Me too.” I finished my drink. “I want you to promise me something.”  
“What’s that?”  
“Don’t go after people like that again. Please. Losing you because of that would only make things terribly worse.”  
“But ain’t you happy he’s dead?”  
“I could have gone on living for the rest of my life with him alive. I don’t know how well I’d fare if you died trying to set things right for me.”  
He was silent for a moment. “A’ight, I promise then.”  
I let go of a breath I didn’t know I was holding. There was a knock at my door. I rose and padded into the kitchen, opening the door as a second knock was sounding.  
“Sura! Have you seen Daryl? He’s not in the infirmary.” It was Carl, holding Judith.  
“He’s here, living room.” I provided, seeing Rick approaching. I took Judith from Carl as he ran past me.  
“He’s here then?”  
“Yes Rick. I don’t trust Ben.”  
“What do you mean?” He frowned, walking in as I stepped back.  
“Long story short, he’s trying to work on a cure. The other day a man was admitted to the infirmary, his arm had to be cut off, Ben said he’d been bitten. I sewed his wound up, disinfected it all and gave him the painkillers Ben had neglected to administer, leaving him completely stable. I walked in on Ben in his office, and the man’s arm was on his desk. When I confronted him, he said it was ‘freshly turning cells essential to his research’.” I sat down, noticing all three men listening now. “When I returned the day after unprompted to check on the patient, he wasn’t there. I asked Ben where he’d gone and he said the man had died. When I asked from what, he answered septicaemia. No one dies of blood poisoning in under twenty-four hours, not when they are a healthy adult.”  
Rick looked pensive.  
“And…the man woke up, before I gave him the painkillers. The expression in his eyes…I thought at the time, it was just pain, but the more I think about it, the more it looked like panic, like he wanted to say something.”  
“What are you sayin’?” Daryl asked.  
“I’m afraid he might have infected the man on purpose.”  
“Why wouldn’t the guy have said so?” Carl asked.  
I shifted Judith, sitting her on my lap. She was quiet, listening, as though she could understand the gravity of the situation. “There are drugs that impede speech. If they have a large enough effect on the muscles.”  
We all sat silently.  
“If this is true…we have to be careful.”  
“I’ll have to be there more often. Can’t leave patients alone with him.”  
“I don’t want you in there with that psycho!” Daryl interjected.  
“I don’t like the idea of it either, but I’m the only one allowed in there.”  
“Shit.” Daryl commented.  
“You’re going to have to be extra careful Sura. If he infected a healthy man, he’s capable of doing it to you too.”  
“I know.”  
Daryl seemed to be extremely agitated by the direction the conversation was taking. “Why don’t we just kick him out and get it over with?”  
“Because if he pleads innocent, it’s his word against ours.” Rick supplied.  
“Fuckin’ hell.”  
I was about to protest Daryl’s language in front of Carl and Judith, but then remembered we were in a post-apocalyptic world. Let the kids swear for all I care.  
“It’ll be ok. I could be completely wrong.” Even to me, it sounded false.  
“Doubt it.” Daryl grumbled.  
“Me too.”


	9. Needles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “So was I.” I heard the small lilt in his voice as he finished the sentence, but, too late, I brought my arm up, unable to block the jab of the syringe he held in his left hand. “So was I.” He muttered again, almost an afterthought. My vision blurred and doubled and I felt myself hit the floor before I lost my senses.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, it's already past my bedtime. Oh uni, how i love you. Enjoy, i'll post more as soon as i can. :)  
> x

“Ben?” I called out. I heard something crash and him swearing.  
“What?” He shouted.  
“Just gonna be here cleaning up. Heard a string of people wanted to get their check-ups, so I thought I’d do them so you don’t have to leave your work.”  
“How…thoughtful.” He sounded confused.  
I ignored him and set to cleaning up, organizing the files alphabetically, cleaning the office and the back room and restocking the shelves from the storage stocks. When I was done, I sat at the front desk, flipping through a magazine quietly. I thought I hear Ben mumbling to himself, but the first person entered just then, bell jingling. Ben exited his office in a flurry, stopping when he saw me. “Oh, yes, you’re here.” He mumbled, heading back into his room and shutting it behind him.   
The man who had stepped in had wide eyes. I don’t think Ben remembered he was covered in blood up until his elbows.  
“Would you follow me through Mr.…?”  
“Caval. William Caval.”  
“Ben’s a little preoccupied with his research, so I’ll be doing your checkup today.” I made sure to glance nervously at Ben’s door in front of Mr. Caval. No harm in spreading rumour.  
I checked the man’s pulse, blood pressure and urine sample, all coming clean.  
“That’s all for you Mr. Caval. Clean records through the charts!” I smiled my biggest smile but made it tight and forced, to which he responded with a brief smile and a nervous glance at Ben’s office. Score one for me.  
“T…thanks. Gooday.” He stuttered, leaving.  
I repeated the procedure with the next three patients to come for their check-up, successfully convincing them something was up. After that the bell was silent for a while and I listened to the slightest sound coming from the office beside me. At one point I thought I heard the moaning of a walker, but I dismissed it as mind tricks.  
The bell jingled again, admitting Carl and Judith.  
“What are you doing here?” I whispered.  
“Judith has been crying, didn’t sleep all last night.” Carl said.  
I nodded my head towards Ben’s office and Carl just shrugged. I mouthed the word ‘idiot’ at him but said: “Come to the back room, I’ll have a look at her.”  
“Is that Judith?”  
My blood went cold when I heard Ben question from his doorway.  
“Yes, probably just has an upset stomach.” I said cheerily, trying to steer them away.  
“I’ll have a look, I’m done here.”  
My stomach knotted painfully. “Why don’t you just tell me what to do, I need to learn sometime the stuff I don’t know yet.”  
He seemed to consider it, eyes narrowing. “I guess.”  
I feared my heart would give me away as we shuffled to the end of the corridor and piled into the room, sitting Carl and Judith down on one of the cots.  
“After you’ve checked her vitals…if all is well, give her some of this.” He handed me a small vial full of clear liquid. There was no label identifying it.  
“What is it?”  
“It helps with colicky babies.”  
“She might not have colic’s.”   
“It’ll help anyway.”  
“I’m not administering a drug I don’t know to a baby just because she spent the night crying.” I insisted, giving Carl a warning look. “Besides, she seems fine now.”  
Behind Ben’s eyes something slithered, something dangerous that I didn’t want to face. I turned back to Carl, supressing a shiver.  
“If she cries again, bring her to my place, I’ll have a look again. Might have just been some bad gas.”   
Carl took Judith, propping her on his hip. “Ok, dad said I was overreacting anyway. See you around.” He left and I felt relief as I heard the bell tingle, signalling their exit.  
That relief was short lived.  
“You are beginning to be quite a nuisance Sura.” Ben’s voice was like a bucket of cold water hitting my back.  
“What do you mean? I was only trying to be thorough.” I tried to sound nonchalant, flipping my hair off my shoulder.  
“So was I.” I heard the small lilt in his voice as he finished the sentence, but, too late, I brought my arm up, unable to block the jab of the syringe he held in his left hand. “So was I.” He muttered again, almost an afterthought. My vision blurred and doubled and I felt myself hit the floor before I lost my senses.

 

“Carl, you seen Sura?”  
“I took Judith to see her round lunchtime.”  
“You took Lil Ass Kicker inside that lunatic’s office?!” Daryl shouted.  
“It was fine, Sura made sure he didn’t do anything. He wanted to give some injection to her.”  
“And you left her there with him after that? You crazy?”   
“What’s happened?” Rick walked into his living room,, having heard the commotion.  
“Your genius son took Judith into the Devil’s office today! Said Ben tried to inject her with soemthin’ but Sura didn’t let him, and then he just left her there!”  
“Well what did you want me to do, stay there with Judith?” Carl retorted.  
“Since you felt it was such a good idea in the first place, maybe yeah! Or maybe ya could of come tell me he was acting all lunatic.” Daryl shouted back, making Carl cower.  
“Hey!” Rick put a hand on Daryl’s chest. As if Daryl would ever hurt the boy. “Maybe she is just running an errand or something. Let’s go ask Ben.”  
Personally, Daryl didn’t believe that for a second, but he grumbled and picked up his crossbow, slinging it over his shoulder and plucked Lil Ass Kicker from Carl, propping her against his side. She no longer cried.  
When they arrived, Ben was in his office, door locked.  
“Ben?” Rick called.   
A moment later, the door cracked open. “Yes?” His eyes scanned them. “Oh did you bring Judith back for her shot?”  
“No.” Daryl’s voice has hard.  
Ben’s eyes narrowed. “Then what?”  
“We were just wondering if you’d seen Sura? She hasn’t been around, and we knew she was working here today.”  
“I sent her out on a quick errand run. We were running low on needles.”  
“No cars checked out in the last day.” Daryl commented gruffly.  
“Well then she went on foot.”  
“Why would she do that, the nearest shop is at least two miles away.”  
“I don’t know.” He answered, face indifferent.  
“Did she say when she’d be back?” Rick asked. Daryl shifted next to him.  
“No, maybe tomorrow.”  
“Why…” Daryl began, but Rick cut him short.  
“Ok, well thank you. Gooday.”   
Daryl stared at him incredulously, but followed Rick out when he looked at him.  
“What the hell Rick, did you actually believe that shit?”  
“Not for a fucking second.”  
“I’m lost then.”  
“If he thinks we bought it, he may be less careful, let something slip.”  
“What the fuck do we do in the meantime?”  
“We can only wait.”

 

My tongue felt like it weighed a ton, my mouth like I had tried to swallow sand. I tried to open my eyes, panicking as no sight came to me. After a moment of flailing my arms, I realized it was just pitch black. I tried my luck with my nose next, the dank smell of stagnant air and wet earth the only things to greet me.   
I attempted to sit up, but my head spun violently and I came close to vomiting, nausea strong and domineering, so I gave up, laying on my back again. I must have hit my head when I fell. I took a moment to call Ben all the colourful names I had in my extensive fuck-you vocabulary.  
It seemed hard for me to concentrate on one thought, for in the next moment I found myself wondering where I was. I tried to roll onto my stomach and found my head only throbbed lightly in protest this time. Improvement. I crawled, still lying down, feeling only damp earth beneath me. My hand hit something of a different consistency and my heart sped, making my head pound painfully in response. I took a moment to calm down, willing my heart to slow. When it had and I could hear more than just blood rushing in my ear, I moved my fingers again, feeling the material. It had grain, so I guessed it was wood, and scratching it lightly confirmed that theory. I tried knocking on it and it sounded hollow to my still ringing ears. I heard another sound, like metal hitting metal. I fell still. What if I wasn’t alone? Panic bubbled up in me as I imagined the worst situations, walkers crawling towards me in the sable black light, unseen by my weak human eyes.  
I came back to myself a while later, unsure how much time had passed, dried tears stinging my face where they had left tracks. I sniffed, gathering courage to move again. As soon as I did I heard the clink again. My stomach dropped, realizing what the noise was. I was chained down here. Suddenly I could feel the heaviness around my right ankle, like a stone pulling me underwater.  
“Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck.”  
I had never been claustrophobic, but in that moment I felt as though the walls were pressing in against me. Fuelled by that thought, I reached upwards, and, finding no immediate resistance, tried to sit up. My search was short live as I found wood above me too. It wasn’t high enough for me to sit up straight.  
“Ben you fucking cunt I hope a walker eats your genitalia and leaves you to bleed out.”   
My voice echoed dimly, wood and earth not good relectors.  
I banged against the ceiling with my feet, feeling short of breath and panicky. Maybe I was claustrophobic after all.

Daryl felt like he was at his wit’s end. Their group was all at Rick’s house, trying to talk through possible moves.  
“Well if we just confront him…”  
“That won’t work, unless you have proof he took her.”  
“We need, like, a warrant.”  
“Fuck this, I’m goin’ for a walk.” Daryl grumbled loudly, making everyone shut up. He left, slinging his crossbow over his shoulder.  
The nights were cooler now, autumn giving way to winter slowly but surely. Daryl wandered, mind angry and busy. By now he had considered wringing Carl’s neck in his mind’s eye, for ever having left her alone after a conversation like that.  
He looked at the dull blue door, realizing he was in front of Sura’s house.  
“Go figure.” He mumbled, trying the door. It was locked. Remembering a past conversation, he folded the doormat back, finding a spare key hidden under the middle slat of the porch. He inserted it, turning it and letting the door swing open.  
Her house was spotless and smelled like her. Daryl shut the door behind him, inhaling deeply without noticing he did and walked through to her room. He didn’t know what he was doing, but he walked into her bathroom, looking at his reflection in the mirror. He looked tired, older, bags under his eyes making him look skeletal. It pissed him off somehow and he ripped his gaze away, letting it fall to an object on the sink rim. A picture of Sura and Judith sat propped there. He picked it up, passing one finger over the picture as though afraid it was an illusion. He looked at his reflection again, suddenly angry. He didn’t belong in this family, he was all cold hard edges where everyone else was soft and rational. He didn’t notice himself stuffing the photo into his breast pocket as he left, slamming the door behind him and locking it, throwing the key back into place. He shoved his hands in his pockets, stalking back to Rick’s.  
Silence fell as he walked in. “What the fuck is all y’alls problem?” He huffed, throwing himself in a chair.  
“We think if we keep a watch on Ben’s house, we could see any suspicious activity.” Gabriel ventured.  
“Suspicious behaviour? So let’s watch him take out his trash twice a day instead of once, while Sura could be dying somewhere?” He protested.  
“It’s all we can do.”  
“Naw, I’ll tell you what we can do. I can go in there with my crossbow and shoot him in the legs until he tells me where the fuck he put her.”  
“Daryl, think. If you scare him like that, he may never give her location up. You could be losing the only clue to her that way.”  
“Fuck!” He cursed, kicking the chair in front of him.  
Judith hiccoughed and then whimpered, tears spilling into her wide eyes. Daryl chewed his fingernail for a moment before going to her and picking her up.  
“Sorry darlin’, it ain’t you.”   
She quieted, shaking with little hiccoughs until she was still again.   
“The only thing we can do is watch. Wait.”  
"I know."


	10. Guardian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Please! Help!” I screamed.  
> “No one is here to help you, Sura.” I fell silent as I heard Ben’s voice respond, footsteps pausing.  
> “Why are you doing this?” I squeaked out.  
> “Sometimes girls like you have to learn not to be such nosy cunts.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well my lovelies, sorry for the wait, I've been real busy this week. Anyway, the endings all lovey dovey, so maybe that will appease the pitchforks and torches? Plus more lovey-dovey-smutty to come soon i hope!

I woke again to pitch black. I sighed. I had no idea how much time had passed, but still felt tired. Something had woken me, though now everything was silent. Then, I heard footsteps. They were above me, and I felt dust sprinkle onto my face as they passed. I reached up, beating frantically on the wood when I found it.  
“Please! Help!” I screamed.  
“No one is here to help you, Sura.” I fell silent as I heard Ben’s voice respond, footsteps pausing.  
“Why are you doing this?” I squeaked out.  
“Sometimes girls like you have to learn not to be such nosy cunts.” I heard the footsteps retreat, leaving me once again in the silent dark.  
I bit back a sob of panic, wondering if he was just going to leave me down here until I starved.  
I shifted again, laying back down, since I couldn’t sit up without bending my neck sideways.  
“I don’t want to die laying down. Not like this.” I whispered to myself.  
The silence closed in around me.

 

“Rick, I’m goin’ crazy here.”  
“I know, Daryl.” He sighed. “I don’t know how to do this.”  
“Let me sneak round his house, see if I can find anythin’.”  
“It’s risky…”  
“So is leavin’ her for any longer!” Daryl shouted, standing. “S’three days today. If he ain’t givin’ her water, food…she ain’t gonna last without water.”  
“Go then, but you can’t get found.”  
“I know, Rick.” He picked up his crossbow, slamming the door behind him, before heading home. He’d snoop around at night-time, when he was less likely to be seen. Besides, tonight Ben was taking later consultations, to accommodate for the expected arrival of a run.  
He paced in his house as the sun slowly dipped, leaving his crossbow behind when he finally left, sky still red with the setting sun. He watched as Ben came home, as he ate in his kitchen and as he left to go back to the infirmary. Daryl held himself from grabbing the man and wringing the truth out of him, a feat harder than most he’d faced so far.  
As soon as all was clear, he approached the house, sure to keep to the shadows as much as possible in case anyone was watching. He circled the house once, twice,finding nothing suspicious. Just as he turned to try once again, something caught his eye on the side door stairs. A small splatter mark, dark red stood stark against the dull blue of the painted wood, even in the dark that now enveloped Daryl.  
“Fuck.” He crouched in front of the door, trying to turn the knob. To his utmost surprise it slid open, door creaking inwards. “Go figure I’d have some luck.”  
He crouched through the house after shutting the door behind him, sure that no one would see him moving around the house in the dark. He searched the place, coming up with nothing. He cursed softly, panic bubbling beneath the surface. If he was too late…  
Then, a sound. The faintest of scuffling. It could have been anything from a rat to a large bug, but it was something, so he strained his ears to try and pinpoint its origin, but it did not sound again.  
Stressed, he looked through the house again, careful to see every detail. A slightly ajar door caught his interest and he opened the wardrobe, praying he’d find something. The back of the wardrobe was missing, showing a hole in the wall that went down. Heart hammering, he scuffled in, dropping down without even checking how deep it was.  
It turned out to be as tall as his height when he reached up with his arms, fingers just able to curl onto the floor of the wardrobe. Satisfied, he began to inch along, cobwebs catching in his facial scruff, annoying and clingy. When the corridor between walls ended, he shimmied down until he saw the earth depress beneath the wooden floor. He crawled into the hole, everything now completely black. Undeterred, he crawled on his hands and knees until his hand met something that felt like hair.  
Suddenly an image came to him. If Sura was dead, she would have turned. He could have just trapped himself down here with a walker. Swallowing fear, he followed the hair until his hand found her head.  
“Sura?”  
There was no answer.  
“Sura, please let me know if you’re alive.” He gave her head a little push.  
He felt her stir. The next second would determine whether he had succeeded in finding her alive or not.  
“Who are you?” Her voice was raspy and broken.  
“Daryl, it’s me, Daryl.” He repeated, placing a hand on her chest.  
“You found me then.” She stated.  
“Yeah, I’m right here. Can you move?”  
“I’m chained.”  
“Shit, ok, stay here.”  
“Don’t leave me here.” Here tiny voice made him stop in his tracks.  
“I have to go get a tool or somethin’.”  
“But you’ll come back, right?”  
“Of course I will.”  
He left then, knowing if he heard her plea again he wouldn’t have the strength to go get a tool. He hurried back along the thin corridor, clothes catching and tearing in his haste. He hauled himself out when he found the wardrobe, slinking into the kitchen to find something that might break a chain. He found nothing but a flashlight, which he grabbed, continuing on to the small side room. There, to his delight, he found a crowbar. He picked it up, hurrying back to the underground hell where Sura was waiting for him. She whimpered as he turned on the flashlight, turning her face away at the sudden light after days of darkness.  
“Sura? Hun, have a drink, can you do that?” He handed her a water bottle that he had nabbed on the way back. He pressed it into her hand and seeing that she could hold it to her lips, he took the flashlight, following the chain to its origin. It went through the wall, cemented into place. He set the flashlight on the floor, cramming the crowbar into place between the first link and pulled towards him, planting his feet on the wall. For a moment it held and he felt dread, but then the link snapped open, effectively planting him on his butt.  
“Ok, you think you can crawl?” He asked, pulling the chain behind him, crowbar still in his other hand.  
“I can try.”  
“Ok, let me see if I can find a shorter route out. He planted the crowbar in the wood, bending it till it snapped, but finding only a deep layer of earth and cement foundation beyond it. “We’re going to have to go the long way. Come on.” He helped her as best he could, but the going was excruciatingly slow. When they reached the corridor, he had to hold her up as she shimmied along, sagging against him or the wall.  
“A’ight, I’m gonna push you up, ‘kay?”  
She just nodded, trying to raise her hands above her head. He picked her up by the feet, ignoring the smell she had due to having soiled herself, and lifted her until she could lean forward and lay on the closet floor. He heaved himself up after her, cradling her to his chest, not caring to be quiet anymore. The door he kicked open, gaining a startled gasp from a passing man.  
“You!” Daryl shouted, jogging up to him. The man’s eyes went wide at the sight of Sura in his arms. “Go wake up Dianna. Ben did this to Sura.”  
“I’m on my way!” The man shouted, already halfway up the street. Sura smiled in Daryl’s arms. It had been Mr. Caval, who had already had suspicions about Ben, thanks to her. She blacked out, head lolling back against Daryl’s arm.

 

“Sura?”  
I groaned.  
“You gotta drink this water hun.” I recognized Michonne’s voice.  
I felt a bottle at my lips and made an effort to grab it with my lips, gulping down the whole thing, even as some spilled past my mouth onto the floor.  
“Why don’t I get her cleaned up, make something to feed her.” I heard Michonne suggest.  
“Ain’t leaving her.” Daryl protested.  
“We’ll be in the next room Daryl. I’ll leave the door open, nothing’s going to happen to her now, trust me.”  
Daryl grumbled, but must of complied, because after depositing me in the tub and kissing me on the forehead, he left me and Michonne alone.  
“Alright hun, let’s get you out of those dirty clothes.”  
I cracked an eye open and she smiled at me.  
“I’m sorry you have to deal with this.” I rasped, accepting the bottle of water as she cut my clothes off me.  
“Nonsense. I’m just glad you’re alive.” I felt the disgusting garments peeled off and the refreshing feel of clean water passed over me. “Temperature ok?”  
“I couldn’t care less, feels so nice.” I mumbled, sipping from the bottle again.  
She washed and scrubbed me until I was clean and the water ran clear. I stood, leaning on her heavily as she dried me off, helping me step into very loose clothes and new underwear. I had never felt better in my life.  
Daryl had made a veritable feast of toast, scrambled eggs, a carrot salad and three different juices in cups, all lined up.  
“Wow, you’re cooking from now on.” I mumbled, earning a laugh from Michonne. Daryl remained silent and solemn, piercing eyes watching my every move.  
I had a surprising appetite, and fell on the food, devouring everything, including the three cups of juice at the end. Michonne cleaned up as I watched.  
“Do the others know I’m ok?”  
“Yes, we’ve told them to stay away until tomorrow.”  
“Thanks. I think I should sleep.”  
“I’ll take ya. You stayin’ Michonne?”  
“No, I’ll go over to Rick’s and tell everyone all’s well.”  
Daryl grunted and Michonne gave me a sympathetic smile before leaving. We limped to my bedroom and I sighed in content as my back hit the soft mattress. Ok so now I felt even better than before.  
Daryl kicked off his boots, pulling off his shirt and laying next to me. I turned to him, snuggling into his chest. He remained stiff.  
“You alright?” I asked, stiffly a yawn.  
“Are you?”  
“Time will tell, but I’m here with you right now, which is more than I was dreaming of an hour ago.” I didn’t tell him I’d been thinking of killing myself, bashing my head in until I died so I could turn.  
“I was…worried doesn’t even describe it.”  
“I know. Can I fall asleep now?”  
He didn’t laugh, but I saw his lips turn up in a small smile. “Go right ahead little one. I’m right here.”  
I was asleep in a second, waking twice during the night, only to find Daryl still with me, finding sleep easily both times once I knew I was safe in his arms.


	11. Beers and VCRs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I finally managed to unlock the door and turned back to Daryl. His hand remained in my pocket, pulling him closer. He stumbled into me, catching himself on the door frame.  
> I knew how close he was, but I noticed how I didn’t mind. At all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pleas don't skin me, I've been sick and busy with uni, i'm sorry.  
> But that ending though.  
> Best hope i have time to quickly put up the next chapter, coz folks, its gon'be good and angsty.  
> xx

“Sura?” I woke groggily, feeling like shit.  
“Water.” I groaned, soon finding a bottle pressed into my hands.  
“Rick’s callin’ us. They’re holding court for Ben’s case.” Daryl told me gruffly.  
“Can it wait till after breakfast?” I mumbled, pulling on a sweater.  
“Fraid not. I made a sandwich though.” He handed me it, wrapped in a napkin.  
“You’re the best.”  
I swear I saw him blush under his bangs.  
I had devoured the meal before me arrived, feeling significantly better after that and some more water.  
Rick was standing outside the centre square, grim look on his face. “Ready?”  
“What do I have to do?” Suddenly I didn’t feel as great.  
“Tell everyone what happened.”  
“Shit.” I calmed myself, taking deep breaths. “Ok, I’ll try.”  
He gave me a comforting squeeze on the shoulder before steering me into the square. The people of Alexandria were all there, sitting on benches, rims of flower beds and the floor. Silence fell as I arrived, and I spotted Ben, on his knees in front of Dianna.  
“Oh good, Sura.” She came over to me, all business. “Are you alright?” She whispered when she was near.  
“Will be.” I whispered back, following her to the middle of the square.  
“Listen up everyone. Last night Daryl claims he found Sura chained up in deplorable conditions, devoid of access to food or water, under Ben’s house.”  
You could hear a pin drop.  
“Is this true?” She turned to me, only half glancing at me, letting me know she already knew the truth. This was just a public display.  
“Yes.”  
“How long had you been there?”  
I looked to Daryl, still unsure how much time I had passed down there.  
“Three days.” He shouted out in a gruff voice.  
“You couldn’t remember yourself?” She inquired.  
“No, it was pitch black down there, no light. As the second day progressed I kept getting weaker, falling asleep sporadically.”  
I heard Judith cry in the background, no doubt sparked by the tension in the air.  
“You believe this liar? She comes in to our community, seduces Daryl Dixon, and tries to get rid of me! She’s just jealous that I’m in control at the infirmary! She’s insane!”  
To my dismay, I saw a few eyes dart this way and that, as though the people they belonged to were trying to see if anyone else believed his words. I heard Judith’s crying heighten to a near wail and turned, momentarily distracted. Carl awkwardly stepped up to me, handing me a reaching Judith, who quieted almost instantly as I cooed and rocked her.  
“Did she manage to seduce the baby too?” I heard Daryl’s sarcastic remark from behind me, but refrained from joining in in the nervous smattering of laughter.  
“I cannot make your decisions for you. I know you have known Ben for longer than you have known me. I do not think he was always this way either, so there is no need to feel like a fool for not seeing it. He was doing research on infected cells. I believe he infected a healthy man on purpose, who’s name I never learned, and used his mutating cells for research.”  
“Lies!” Ben spat, straining making his veins stand out in his neck.  
“When Judith was taken to the infirmary by Carl, Ben wished to administer a liquid to her, via injection, that he would not identify to me. Whether it was meant to infect her, I do not know, but I shudder to think that was the case.” I looked at Ben, spittle falling from his mouth in his rage. “When I told him no, I made Carl leave with Judith. I was injected with a drug that made me slip into unconsciousness…if that’s all it did. When I woke I was in that place.”  
I fell silent, conscious of the stares I was getting.  
“Well.” Dianna broke the quiet. “I am convinced we know the real story. Are you?”  
One by one, retaining silence, the people raised their hands in agreement. All that was heard was the rustling of clothes.  
“It is decided.”

 

“What will they do to him?” I asked Rick as we all sat in his living room.  
“That is yet to be decided.”  
I sat Judith on my lap, facing me. She smiled, unaware of the world’s ills.  
“Alright. As long as there’s no chance of escape. I’m sure he’d do that again, given the chance.”  
“Do you think he meant to kill you?” Noah asked from the other couch.  
“Yes. I would have begun to turn, he’d have another specimen to work with, this time of a different sex too.”  
“You think sex has something to do with the change process?”  
“I don’t have a clue. But variety always helps better understand something.”  
“Well I hope they decide to feed him to the walkers.” Daryl grumbled from where he sat in the top of the sofa behind me.  
I slapped him playfully, but secretly hoped the same.

 

It turns out the people of Alexandria didn’t agree with us. They had indeed convicted Ben of killing a man to use for experimenting and of kidnapping and attempting to kill me, but they wanted to release him, far away, on his own.  
The probability of him surviving on his own was slim, but men like him always seemed to find a way to wiggle back to where they came from, like in movies when you don’t actually see the bad guy die, and you never truly believe he’s gone for good.  
“Fuckin’ weak these people!” Daryl huffed, flinging his arm in their general direction. A few people pause to look his way.  
“Hey, don’t lose it.” Some guy commented from the side.  
Before I could move, Daryl had knocked the man on his ass. “You’re all delusional! That asshole killed one of you! Nearly killed Sura too! Yet you just want to dump him in the middle of nowhere. What if he finds his way back? Or he finds another group and does the same thing as here to them?” He seethed from under his bangs. “If you can live with that possibility, go right ahead, but ain’t gonna have no part of it!” He swung round, grabbing me by the arm and dragging me along as I stared at the shocked faces.  
“You shouldn’t have done that.” I stated as we entered his house. (Well I was dragged in – does that make him a cat?)  
“Sura, honestly I don’t give a fuck. They’re stupid if they don’t see the truth in what I said.” He finally let go of his death-grip on me, closing the door and handing me a soda from the fridge. “Sides, don’t really wanna let the opportunity of seeing that cunt suffer go.”  
“What would you have done if I had died?” My voice was quiet.  
We both fell silent, neither making eye contact.  
“Honestly?” He asked equally as quiet.  
I nodded.  
“I don’t fucking know. I don’t want to know what I’d do. I nearly strangled Rick a thousand times while you were gone, just coz he said we had to be patient.” He sipped his soda. “I’d kill Ben. Not nice-like either.”  
I shivered despite the warmth of his kitchen.  
“Then I dunno. Maybe I’d make lots of noise outside the wall. And wait.”  
“What about the others?”  
“Judith is the only one that loves me unconditionally. She’s too young to remember me. It’d be fine.”  
“I want you to promise me something Daryl Dixon.”  
He grunted in question, looking at me from under his hair.  
“Never give up on that little girl. As long as she lives, hope lives. She’s the incarnation of the polar opposite of this shitstorm the world has become.”  
He squinted at me. “How’d you get so logic and shit?” He almost whispered.  
I smiled. “Some of us have to refrain from punching everyone in the face.”  
“Very funny.” He conceded, walking through to the living room.  
“You got a tv?” I noticed as I followed him in.  
“Yeah, one of the other runs managed to nab some VCR’s and players, so I asked for a spare TV.”  
“As you do.” I mumbled.  
“I got some shitty horror flicks.” He mumbled, shifting through the VCR’s.  
“Sounds like a plan to me. Shall I cook dinner?”  
He kinda stood there staring for a moment. “Uh, sure.”  
“Got any beer?” I called out as I moved to the kitchen.  
“Yeah, fridge, you drinkin’ it or cooking it?”  
“Drinkin’.” I responded. “Want?”  
“Yeah.”  
I handed him one, taking out a frying pan, veggies and some venison he had wrapped in the fridge. Daryl always seemed to have venison around.  
I made as stir fry, which we gulped down with little conversation and lots of beer.  
By the time we cleaned up, throwing suds at each other, we were both shitfaced drunk.  
We stumbled into the living room, sleeves damp up to our elbows, and flopped into the furniture, flicking on the VCR after a couple minutes of trying to remember how everything worked. I dimmed the lights and sat back. The movie was shit, and we ended up in fits of laughter. Or at least I did. Daryl just smirked at me.  
The movie ended, plunging us into darkness as I heard the tape rewind itself.  
“Guess I should get going. I’m still exaughsted.” I stated, yawning and stretching.  
“Yeah, alright, I’ll walk ya.”  
“Don’t need to.”  
“S’ok.” He rose a little unsteadily, following me out into the night. “S’cold out.”  
“Well you are only in a t-shirt Daryl” I scolded.  
He mumbled something to himself.  
We stumbled up my porch, me fumbling for my keys in my pocket.  
“Here.” He slipped his hand into my back pocket, grasping my keys and lifting them so I caught them in my waiting hand. I turned to my door, conscious that his hand had remained seated in my pocket, palm resting against my butt.  
I finally managed to unlock the door and turned back to Daryl. His hand remained in my pocket, pulling him closer. He stumbled into me, catching himself on the door frame.  
I knew how close he was, but I noticed how I didn’t mind. At all.  
I felt him shiver in the cold at how close he was. His breath came out in puffs of vapour and my own breath hitched as he leaned down. His lips connected with the skin of my neck, right in the crook of neck, warm and wet, scruff of his beard prickling my collarbone. I felt his hand squeeze my butt lightly, before his lips disconnected, mumbling something that sounded like ‘mine’ and turning away, stumbling down my porch and back towards to his house.  
Partly because I was frozen in delight, partly because I wanted to make sure he got home alright, knowing I was more sober than he (not by much though), i stayed a minute in place. When he stumbled inside his house in the distance, I unstuck myself from my door frame, tripping inside myself.  
My mind was jumbled with drink and uncertainty of what had just transpired. I could feel the lingering presence of him on my skin and I shivered, falling into my bed.


	12. Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “S’truth.”  
> “Bullshit.”  
> “Ain’t.”  
> “Kiss me.”  
> He froze at that, eyes dipping to my lips.  
> “Naw…”  
> “If you believe what you said so avidly, pretend for a moment.”  
> His eyes snapped to mine and then back down.  
> “Have me how you would Daryl.” My voice was husky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well hello, it's a 2 chapter day? Plus smut? I must be in a good mood.  
> At least i am now, if u know what i mean (Hi Norman.).   
> xx

“Judith!” I scolded playfully as she splashed me again with her bathwater. “Sweety, I already took my bath today!”  
Rick chuckled from the couch as he watched us. I glanced up as Daryl came in. We both broke eye contact, unsure how to react around each other. Rick didn’t seem to notice.  
“Daryl, Dianna asked about the next time you’d go out for survivors.”  
“Yeah, I’ll talk to Aaron bout it later.”  
“Ok, they say we don’t need to do runs for a bit now.”  
“Yeah, I’ll just do some hunts for deer and rabbit.” Daryl added, glancing at me.  
I pulled Judith out of her bath, standing her on the counter as I dried her off with a towel.   
“She’ll be walking soon.” I remarked absently.  
“Oh god, we’ll have no rest.”  
I laughed. “I’ll say.”  
Once Judith was dressed and fed, I stood there in an awkward silence. “Well, I’m gonna head to the clinic. Guess it’s mine now pretty much.”  
“You don’t need to be there all the time. Especially alone, since that’s where Ben…” Rick had a sympathetic look on his face. “Take Daryl, he doesn’t have anything to do.”  
We both stared at Rick. “Right. Guess so, come on.” We exited into the sun, keeping a larger than usual distance in between us, only awkward snippets of conversation between us.  
I unlocked the clinic door, doing check-ups for a couple of people, since I’d notified I’d be there today. Once they were sorted, I opened Ben’s office door. Inside, his research was untouched. I felt sick as I noticed parts of the dead man in jars with alcohol, his head still thrashing in my direction. I turned, gasping as Daryl was right in front of me, and to my dismay, my eyes watered up and I sobbed loudly.  
“Get out of there.” He said gruffly, pulling me with him, shutting the door behind us and walking me down the corridor to the end room. “This better?”  
I hiccoughed as I tried to hold down my crying.  
He sighed from in front of me. “Just cry Sura.”  
I did, as he awkwardly held me.  
“I won’t do it again.” He mumbled into my hair. “M’sorry.”  
“What?” I hiccoughed, looking at him.  
“What I did last night. I’m sorry. Was drunk, shouldn’t have touched you like that.” His head was hung so low I couldn’t see his eyes under his hair.  
“I never said I didn’t enjoy it.” I near-whispered.  
“You shouldn’t have.”  
“Why?”  
“Ain’t good for you. You’re too intelligent and logical and wonderful.”  
“What do you think of yourself to say that?”  
“Ain’t none of that. I’m just a man that is good with a crossbow and a certain baby.”  
“Lying isn’t nice Daryl.” I scolded.  
“Ain’t lies. I understand if you want distance.” He pushed past me, slamming the door behind him, bell jangling loudly.  
I just stood there. He hadn’t even given my time to understand what the hell he was on about, much less make a decision.  
“Men.” I grumbled, setting to cleaning up the equipment I had used in the check-ups. I sat around for a while longer, but the heavy presence of Ben’s office weighed on me like a stone. As the sun started to dip at midday, I scribbled a note, leaving Ben’s walkie-talkie outside with it, so that if someone needed something they could call me over.   
I set myself to my task, marching up to Daryl’s door and knocking.  
“Go away.” I heard his southern accent.  
“That’s rude.” I answered.  
For a moment nothing happened and I feared he’d really ignore me, before his door cracked open.  
“What you doin’ here?”  
“Couldn’t stand being in the infirmary. Left the other Walkie-talkie there, case anyone needs me.”  
“Right.”  
“Can I come in?”  
“Guess.” He side-stepped, letting me in, before turning to close the door. Heart pounding so hard I could feel it in my finger-tips, I waited until he began to turn before stepping into his personal space, grasping his neck and pulling him down to meet my lips.  
He stood immobile in my embrace, until I broke it.  
“Don’t you want me?”  
His eyes were dark. “More than anything Sura. You don’t even…” He sighed quietly. “But I can’t.”  
“Why?”  
“Told you already.”  
“Well I call bullshit.”  
“S’truth.”  
“Bullshit.”  
“Ain’t.”  
“Kiss me.”  
He froze at that, eyes dipping to my lips.  
“Naw…”  
“If you believe what you said so avidly, pretend for a moment.”  
His eyes snapped to mine and then back down.  
“Have me how you would Daryl.” My voice was husky.  
I heard his sharp intake of air. The way he stared into my eyes.  
Then I was crushed in his arms, one behind my hair, keeping my head from banging the wall with the force with which he attacked my lips, feverish and needy. His movements were jerky and unsure.   
“Forget Daryl.” I whispered against his now hesitant lips.  
His sound of abandon made my lower abdomen sear, sensation which persisted as he kissed me in earnest, no hesitation as his tongue pushed my pliant lips open, mixing our frantic breaths and moans. I was wedged into his door frame against the shut door, his hips grinding into me with every movement of his lips and tongue, all devilishly in sync and dangerously addictive as I pulled him that inch closer, pressing myself flush against his chest. He moaned into my mouth, detaching himself, hiding his face into my neck, body heaving in sync with my own out-of-control breathing. His breath fanned out on my neck and chest.  
“Fuck Sura. I…”  
“You can’t say no to me now.” I laughed.  
“I never wanted to.” He admitted, placing a kiss on my neck.  
We could both feel his hardness between us, but we remained locked together for a moment longer, before he disentangled himself from me.  
“We could fix that.” I almost whispered, feeling suddenly unsure at his distance.  
“Ain’t gonna have sex with you tonight Sura.”  
“As long as we get to that.” I mumbled.  
I saw his cheeky smirk, setting my heart racing again. “We will, ain’t got no rubbers right now.”  
“Ah, I see. There’s pills in the infirmary.” I suggested half-hopeful.  
“No Sura.”  
“Damn.” I lamented. “But…” I started as an idea formed.  
“Sura?” He squinted at me as I approached him, beginning to unbuckle his pants. “You deaf girl, said we ain’t havin’ sex tonight.”  
I sunk to my knees and realization dawned in his eyes. He opened his mouth to say something but ended up only uttering a prolonged hiss as my hand slipped inside his pants to his bare cock. I pushed the jeans down further with my other hand until they hung round his knees, staring at his nudity.  
“Ain’t got to do it sweetheart…” He mumbled.  
As and answer, I rose up slightly, placing his engorged tip in my mouth. I heard him suck in air and his hand flew to my head, grasping my hair.  
“Fuck.” He groaned, catching my eyes as I stared up as him. He made a face almost like abandon when he saw me looking up at him like that. I slipped him in another couple of inches, swirling my tongue heavily around his member. His clutch on my hair tightened and loosened rhythmically as I moved. I took a deep breath, then engulfing him as far as I could.  
“Oh Jesus, Sura.” When I glanced up again his head was thrown back, throat constricted as he swallowed. I moved, making his grasp on my hair permanent as I took him in and sucked my way back up rhythmically.  
“Faster.” He growled, and my stomach flipped at the command. For it was a command, all masculine energy.  
I complied and he whined in the back of his throat, subconsciously thrusting in to my movements, his hand holding back my hair in a strong grip as he guided my to the rhythm he needed. I reached up, placing one hand on his hip so he couldn’t pull me in too close, the other snaking up to cup his balls, slightly fuzzy with hair. He thrust into my mouth suddenly at the contact, head snapping forward as he watched me, eyes shadowed in the light of the kitchen.  
“Shit, Sura, stop.” I looked up him questioningly, cock still in my mouth. “Gonna come.”  
I smirked at his concern, resuming my ministrations. “Sura, I told ya…” His voice died out and a second later I felt his cock pulse against my tongue, hot, ropy cum filling my mouth as he cried out in a low voice. I licked at him until he pulled me up to him. To my surprise, his mouth was on mine, hot and insistent. When he felt my hesitance he pulled back, worry on his face.  
“Was that…”  
“No, just…I was with someone before, he never wanted to kiss me after…said it was disgusting.”  
“What an idiot.” He remarked, returning to his kiss. He picked me up, placing his hand firmly under my butt and he parked me on the counter. His hands were under my shirt, opening the clasp of my bra before he yanked both it and my shirt off. “Just like I imagined.” He murmured.  
“You imagined this?”  
He blushed, ducking his head. “Yeah.”  
“The stage is yours.” I giggled.  
He grunted, palming my breast roughly, calloused fingers heavenly on my sensitive skin. His finger circled, growing ever closer to my nipple until he stopped just shy of it, drawing languorous circles in the same place.  
“Daryl…” I pleaded.  
“What do’ye want?” He inquired in a deep voice.  
Oh fuck Daryl Dixon liked to talk during sex. I think I liked this discovery.  
“Touch me.” I moaned, wiggling under his hand.  
“Am touching you.” He countered.  
I whimpered and he gave into me, fingers finally sliding over my nipples. I arched into his touch, wrapping my arms round his neck, as his head dipped, catching one of them in between his lips, tongue rolling and flicking. I felt myself quiver under his ministrations and my hand grasped his hair as though I depended on it for my sanity, which perhaps at that moment I did.  
His free hand dipped to my pants, undoing my buttons. “Lift yerself up.” He growled at me. I placed my hands on the counter beside me, lifting my hips as he ripped off my pants. I sat back down, panties still on. He pulled me towards him until I felt as though I might fall off the edge any moment. He wrapped his arms under and over my thighs, holding me secure, placing a couple of kisses on my inner thigh before looking up at me and burying his face in my underwear.  
“Daryl!” I felt embarrassed as he took a deep breath.  
“What?” He smirked, running his devil tongue across the material of my panties, already soaked through. I jerked. “You never had this done?” His cocky lilt made me blush.  
“No.”  
“Impossible.”  
“Ain’t.”  
“God he was an idiot.” I took a moment to realize he meant my anterior-mentioned ex, before I forgot that thread of thought. He ran his tongue along me again until he reached my clit. I jumped against him as he insisted upon it, circling and flicking. My hand found his hair again and he growled against me, making me jerk again.  
I hardly felt his hand leave my thigh as he pushed aside my panties, sliding one finger into me.  
I moaned.  
“God Sura. Soaking for me. All mine.” He added possessively at the end.  
His finger began to move and his tongue found my nerves again over the cloth of the underwear.  
“Oh fucking hell Daryl.” I groaned low in my throat, chest heaving as he ate at me, fingers pumping rhythmically, curling as they entered, becoming two, then three.  
Sudden he stopped and I opened my eyes in dismay, but he just grabbed my panties, waiting for me to straighten my legs, removing the cotton slip. He stood there, staring for a moment.  
“Daryl, don’t.” I said uncomfortably, closing my legs.  
“Naw, stop it, wanna see you.”  
“It feels weird.”  
“You’re the best head giver I’ve experienced, but you can’t show me your beautiful pussy?”  
I throbbed at his words, and his hands pushed me apart again, until I lay exposed to him again. Then he buried his face against me again, tongue delving deep into me.  
“Oh shit Daryl.” I threw my head back, pulling him closer by his hair as his fingers found my clit. When he raised his head, his chin was glistening with my juices and I blushed at the way he looked at me.  
“I’m gonna promise you somethin’.”   
“What?”  
“If you keep your eyes on me, and you don’t be embarrassed now, I’ll make you cum. If not, I’ll stop.”  
I whimpered. “Fine.”  
He smirked, switching this time, fingers finding my warmth again in a delicious rate as his tongue bent to my clit. I rocked with the speed of his thrusting fingers, keening I barely recognized coming from my throat. Suddenly, I felt his other finger. I jerked up, staring at him. He had stopped, watching me. Remembering his promise, I tried to relax. He started pumping again and I watching as he played one finger over my anus again, surprising me at how much I responded to it.  
Embarrassment soon forgotten, my orgasm followed shortly after, legs shaking against his shoulder as our gazes locked. He continued to languidly stroke my clit as he rose, making me twitch on contact with the hyper sensitive zone.   
He kissed me, making me taste myself. “Do you mind?” He asked, as if remembering.  
“No.” I answered breathlessly, still shaking He kissed me until I came again under his hand’s touch, mewling into his mouth, as his finger pumped into me rapidly, riding out my orgasm.  
“Shit.” I groaned as I came down.   
He picked me up, walking us to the bath, where he turned on the water and sat us down. Thankfully his hot ration was today, and steam curled around us as I leaned back into him, weak and spent.  
He shut off the water with his foot when the tub was full.  
“You ok?” His voice was quiet and I could feel it rumbled behind me.  
“Understatement of the year.”  
He chuckled.  
“You?” I asked.  
“Ain’t got words darlin’.” My heart flip-flopped at his pet names.  
We lay there, content, until the water started to chill, before washing quickly and getting out. I smirked as Daryl’s re-erect cock bounced against my butt as we dried off.  
“Didn’t satisfy you then?” I teased.  
“Woman…with you I ain’t ever gonna get enough…” He trailed off as I put my mouth on him again.  
Later, we lay in bed, both naked, I felt his rough scarred lines under my fingers, moonlight streaking across us.  
“You awake?” Daryl whispered.  
“Yeah.”  
“Regrets?”  
“Never.” I kissed a scar over his heart, smiling up at him. He smiled back, stretching and pulling me into him.  
“Goodnight sweetheart.”


	13. Missing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “No bites or scratches.” I stared at the dead man. “I thought I could save him.”  
> “It was a stretch. They took so long to get back here.” Michonne tried to comfort me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes it's short, I'm sorry, but shit with uni is getting serious, so less time for me unfortunately. I'll try and keep up as much as i can.  
> xx

I stretched lazily, feeling the bed empty. I cracked open my eyes, wondering where Daryl had gone.  
“Daryl?” I called out. No one answered.  
I dressed and left in search of him.   
“He left?” I repeated as Rick shifted in front of me.  
“He and Aaron had to go out looking for survivors.”  
“He didn’t even tell me he was going.” I half whispered.  
“You know Daryl.” Rick tried to reassure me.  
“I guess. How long do they usually take?”  
“No more than a day.”  
“Oh, ok then. I guess I’ll go to the infirmary or something. Want me to take Judith in the afternoon?”  
“If it’s not too much.”  
“Since the infirmary is generally empty…I don’t mind.”  
I headed to the office after saying my goodbyes, intent on clearing out Ben’s old stuff. I unlocked the door, allowing myself a moment to gather myself. The head was still moving in the jar and I wrinkled my nose in disgust. I had to find some way to get rid of this stuff without anyone seeing. They were too delicate here.  
I pulled out the trash bin from under the desk, placing the arms pieces, legs and head (after spearing it) into it and pulling the bag closed. The torso I put in another bag, along with all the organs, which by now had begun to stink, nearly making me puke. I double bagged both piles and then places both inside a larger garbage bag, going outside and placing it in the trash can. I returned, sterilizing all the instruments and petri dishes, wiping down everything twice with alcohol. Satisfied that is was all clean, I swept the reception and cleaned the back room, throwing open all the windows to air the place out. IN the office I pulled the dark curtains down from the windows, so that light streamed through. I stacked all the petri dishes in the cupboards, and placed the scalpels, tweezers and needles in a drawer, shutting them away. Cleaned up, the office was actually quite pleasant, and with a plant or two would be perfect. Perhaps I would make this just the check-up room, leaving the other for operations, that way it would be easier to keep the latter sterilized as much as possible.  
A sudden, sharp knock on the door made me jump out of my reverie.  
“Come in, it’s unlocked.” I called out, peaking into the corridor.  
The door was opened and Michonne appeared, man leaning heavily on her.  
“Sura, he needs medical care, now.” She told me, dragging the near unconscious runner back to the far room.  
“What happened?” I asked, following them through and tying up my hair, throwing on Ben’s old lab coat, which I had washed.  
“Some of the men went out to get more metal scraps for the walls. When they were lifting one of them, it fell, nearly slicing him open.”  
I disinfected myself, nodding in acknowledgement. “Can you stand just outside, if you’re gonna stay?”  
She complied in silence, watching me work. I cut away the man’s clothes quickly, peeling them back as carefully as I could. I felt him protest, already out cold, so I rose, injecting morphine into his serum before returning to crouch next to him. His guts hung out of the slit in his abdomen, like an obscene piñata, and I gulped back bile as I noticed dark liquid oozing out. His intestines had been sliced too, and were oozing excrement into his abdominal cavity. I shook my head, focusing, setting to the task of getting him cleaned out and stitched up. His blood was hot on my hands and the mixed smells of shit and blood were making me sick, light sheen of sweat forming on my brow. I reached around his stomach, trying to find all the sections where he had been cut, intestines slipping out of my fingers like rubbery soap before I could fully inspect them. Cursing under my breath, I tried again, not realizing the man had begun to stir underneath me, nor that he was no longer human. Sometime between when I had started and now, the man had died.  
“Sura!” I heard Michonne scream, but I hardly registered it, still entrancedly trying to find cuts.  
I felt something hit me full force from the side, knocking me away from the cot. I splayedon the floor, spluttering back into reality Justin tie to grab a scalpel and shove it in the oncoming walkers eye socket. It went limp, falling on me.  
“Michonne?”  
“I’m here.”  
“You alright?”  
“Yeah, just managed to bang my head on the metal part of the cot. She appeard, rubbing her head.   
“You?”  
“No bites or scratches.” I stared at the dead man. “I thought I could save him.”  
“It was a stretch. They took so long to get back here.” Michonne tried to comfort me.   
“I’ll stitch up his gut, so at least his family or friends don’t have to see that.”  
She helped me roll the man over, holding his kin in place as I stitched it up crudely, not caring about precision now.  
“I’ll notify someone, they’ll come and take him.”  
“Michonne? There a bag outside with the pieces of the other man.”  
“We’ll get that too then.”  
I sat there on the cot until two men came, hauling the body I had wrapped, in a white sheet, out of the room. I stared at the floor, slick with shit and blood, and at my own hands, much in the same state, before washing them and mopping the floor. I left the walkie-talkie in its customary place right outside the door, walking home without realizing how I got there. I let myself in, lying on my bed, face-down, and cried.  
I woke to it already being night-time, bed beside me still empty. I slipped on another hoodie and walked to Rick’s.  
“I hear what happened.” He said as I entered. “Figured Carl could deal with Judith this afternoon.”  
“Yeah, thanks.” I mumbled.   
“Want some dinner? Was just going to make spaghetti.”  
“If adding one more isn’t too much to ask.”   
“Course not.”  
“Need help?”  
“No, but you can open a bottle of wine if you like.”  
I fetched one, grabbing the corkscrew and sitting back down on the sofa. Carl arrived with Judith, clean from her bath, who gurgled at me as he set her down on her blanket in the middle of the living room. I offered her the toy she reached for and she squealed in delight, while I managed to finally pull the cork out.  
Dinner was pleasant, but I couldn’t seem to relax and after we had cleaned up, I excused myself, which all three of them protested.  
“I’m just tired, beat up about the guy too.” I gave as an excuse. It was true, but the fact that Daryl hadn’t returned yet was making me very nervous, niggling feeling at the back of my head.  
It was pitch black when I heard someone knock at my door. I rose from my bed, padding over to the door and opening it. I was embraced immediately and it took me a moment to realize I wasn’t under attack.  
“God I missed ya’.” Daryl whispered into my ear.  
“Why didn’t you tell me you were going?” I shut the door behind him.  
“Dunno, you were asleep.”  
“Well you could have woken me.”  
“M’sorry, not used to people caring that much.”  
“Please wake me next time. It freaked me out.”  
“M’sorry.” He mumbled, hanging his head like a scolded kid.  
“Did it go ok?”  
“Didn’t find anybody worth takin’.” He slipped off his crossbow.  
“Wanna shower?”  
He grinned. “Only if you come with me.”  
I wasn’t about to refuse that. The water was cold today, but we didn’t care. I relished in the feel of his hard muscles, slippery against me because of the soap. His lips found my neck and I arched back against him, making his grip on my hip tighten, grinding himself against me.  
“Bend over.” He whispered into my ear, and I complied, steadying myself with a hand against the wall, before he bent, licking, sucking and nipping at me until my knees were weak and I knew I was close. He knew too, because he rose, and I felt his cock poking at my entrance. For one moment I thought he would do it, but he moved again, inserting his fingers instead.   
“We really need to get some condoms.” I mumbled.  
“Well you do work at the place that keeps them.” He mumbled back as he pumped his fingers in me, hitting me just right as I reached in between my legs to help him. I glanced back at him and realized that his free hand he was jerking at himself, eyes trained on my ass as he did. That image alone was enough to make me slip over the edge, knees giving out as Daryl caught me, spilling his cum on my back. We washed quickly after that, drying and crawling into bed. I curled myself around him, happy.  
“How did your day go?” It was an innocent question, but I tensed, and he felt it. “Sura, what happened?”  
“Man was brought in. Sliced near in half. I tried to save him but…he turned half-way through surgery.”  
“Shit, you ok? Nobody was hurt?”  
“Fine, Michonne knocked me sideways. But I feel horrible.”  
“Why?”  
“I can still feel his guts sliding in between my fingers, Daryl. And the smell…”  
He turned towards me, hugging me tight to his body. “Ain’t your fault.”  
We were silent for a moment.  
“I’m glad you’re back.”  
“Me too.”


	14. Troubling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Aren’t you sweet?”  
> “Ain’t sweet. Just honest.” He placed a kiss on top of my head.  
> “Are sweet. You’re so important to me Daryl, it scares me a little.”  
> “It scares me too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, short again, so sue me.  
> xx

I woke with the sun just peeking over the trees and, to my content, Daryl still beside me. Feeling mischievous, I slipped under the covers, running my hands along him until I found his semi-hard shaft. I heard his responsive groan, but he seemed not to wake. I slipped my mouth over him, feeling him twitch against me as he finally woke.  
“Sura?”  
“Better be.” I mumbled around him.  
I heard him chuckle in response and lift the sheet so he could see me. His hands found my hair, pulling it away from my face and holding it there as I licked up and down the side of his shaft, pulling it up with my hand to suck lightly on his balls.  
“Oh Sura, you know how to please me.” He rumbled, hand pulling my hair slightly.  
I slipped back to his cock, taking it all in, nose buried in his smattering of curls that smelt so much like him. I locked eyes with him as I did, and I felt his member pulse, hot seed spilling into my mouth a moment later.  
“Fuck.” He mumbled. I snuggled up to him before stretching and sitting up. “Where you goin’?” He asked, voice still sleepy.  
“Was thinking of picking up some supplies from the infirmary.” I let on, slyly.  
I watched his eyes open a little wider and an evil grin spread over his face. “Well by all means.”  
He smacked my ass as I got up, making me squeal.  
“I’ll make pancakes.” He offered, getting up and walking into the kitchen naked. I smiled at his cute behind, happy he felt ok enough that his customary wariness of being naked had faded.   
I dressed quickly in some faded jeans and a hoodie, pecking Daryl on the cheek as I passed, smacking his behind too.  
“Hey!” He protested, but I was out the door.  
I almost skipped across the pathway there, meeting Rick along the way, who gave me and odd look and asked if we were coming to the BBQ tonight. I nodded and continued as he headed to the gardens. I met no one else on the way and let myself into the office, grabbing a pack of condoms and some strawberry flavoured lube, just in case.  
It smelt wonderfully like lemon pancakes when I arrived, and Daryl was just dishing the last one out.  
“God that smells good.” My stomach growled in appreciation, and I plonked myself down, putting the condoms on the table.  
“Gave you two extra, so no complainin’.” He said, setting a plate in front of me and sitting down with his.  
“Wouldn’t dream of it.” I answered, grabbing the syrup.  
I saw his eyes dart sideways to the condoms and lube.  
“Lube?” He asked, voice almost strained.  
“You know, might come in handy.” Our eyes met and the heat in our gazes was immeasurable, so I forced myself to break my gaze. I had to eat first. Had to.  
The rest of breakfast passed in silence, both of us stuffing our faces until we were full.  
“You are so cooking the pancakes from now on. Like always.” I remarked as I began to clean up. I heard no response from him, but his heat at my back made me shiver, and he leaned forward, beard tickling my skin as he kissed my neck. His hand snaked around to my front, pulling me back against him.  
“Need ya Sura.” He whispered into my ear, making me a quivering mess without even touching me. “Fuck the dishes, I’ll do’em later.” He pulled me against him harder, making me drop the plate into the sink.  
“Daryl, I nearly broke the plate!”  
He whipped me around and his mouth was on mine, tasting of pancakes and syrup. He was totally right, fuck the dishes. He picked me up, walking me into the bedroom, before throwing me on the mattress. He stood above me, rough and imposing, before removing my clothes with little care, along with his, and bending down to catch my nipple in his mouth. I writhed under him, still wet from tending to him when we woke. His rough fingers passed over my warmth eliciting a moan from the back of my throat, which became strangled when he slipped a finger inside.  
He groaned against my breast. He slipped another finger in, scissoring them, stretching me out. I felt his erection bumping at my hip and tried to reach for him. He slapped my hand away with a growl.  
“I want all my time inside you sweetheart.” He mumbled into my ear.  
“Then hurry up.” I whispered back fiercely.  
He growled in response, momentarily disappearing as he went to fetch the box form the kitchen. I watched as he came back, cock swinging as he walked, and I stifled a laugh. He slipped the condom on, eyes finding mine and searing.  
“Mine.” He uttered as he grabbed my legs, pulling me to the edge of the bed and pushing into me. Both our breaths hitched until he was in to the hilt. “Fucking mine.” He growled, pulling out and slamming back in me. I gasped and threw my head back, hands fumbling for a purchase on the sheets.  
He set a rhythm, animalistic in the way he growled in appreciation every time I moved to meet his thrusts and raked my nails down his torso. He shifted, hitting me in just the right manner, and his thumb came down to circle my clit, making me jump and my legs shake.  
“Fuck Sura, you feel like heaven.” He grumbled, bending over me as he continued, making the bed shake as he took my breast into his mouth again. I arched against him, allowing him to slip one of his arms under me, hugging me to him, other arm planted against the bed for support. “Are you close?” He whispered into my neck.  
I nodded, already starting to lose control over myself as I felt my orgasm build up. A few more well place strokes and I crashed over the edge, writhing and shaking as I moaned his name.  
“Oh god Sura.” He groaned and I felt his own movements go erratic until he growled, thrusting into me as far as he could before stilling.  
I laughed quietly with him as we both came down. “Damn.”  
“Don’t ever let us run out of these.” He remarked dryly, removing the rubber and discarding of it properly in the bathroom. I heard some water running and then he returned, sated smile on his face. “C’mere.” He growled, grabbing me and rolling onto the bed.  
I snuggled into his chest happily. “Wouldn’t dream of letting that happen.” I mumbled against his light fuzz of chest hair.  
“They’re gonna get rid of Ben tomorrow.”  
I half-tensed at the mention of Ben, but his fingers playing with my hair made me relax again. “Good.”  
“I’ve half a mind to follow’em and shoot him once they go.” He remarked, possessively curling his arm around me.  
“Not worth it.”   
“Would be. You’re the only thing worth it.”  
“Aren’t you sweet?”  
“Ain’t sweet. Just honest.” He placed a kiss on top of my head.  
“Are sweet. You’re so important to me Daryl, it scares me a little.”  
“It scares me too.”   
“I’m in love with you.” I almost whispered.  
“Really?” His voice was incredulous.  
“Madly.”  
“Never thought I’d hear anyone say that to me.” His voice was sad.  
“First for everything I guess.” I felt something inside me twist when he didn’t reciprocate. We fell silent.  
“I don’t know if I can say that, Sura.”  
I felt like I’d been stabbed.  
“I ain’t capable of lovin’. If I was, you’d be my first on the list.”  
“I think that’s bullshit.” I pushed away, sitting on the edge of the bed.  
“What is?”  
“That you can’t love. Maybe you’re just not letting yourself.”  
“Sura…”  
I ignored him, getting up and grabbing a towel to take a shower. I heard him sigh and curse from the bed as I turned on the water, stepping in. A moment later I heard him step in behind me and his arms circled my waist.  
“Jus’ so you know, if anyone is capable of showing me I can love, you’d be it.”  
I turned to him, half-crying, and we embraced under the cold water, lips locked in a chaste kiss.


End file.
